Analysis:
KGF: Chapter 1's creators made a vow four years ago. A vow to make the biggest Kannada film possible, reaching new audiences and opening new doors. And now they're back with KGF: Chapter 2, and if the reactions are any indication, they kept their word. The KGF films, written and directed by Prashanth Neel, a superstar in his own right, have captured the entire nation's attention and reinterpreted the time-honoured story of an underdog triumphing against all obstacles. But when the underdog in question is the supposedly unstoppable Rocky Bhai (Yash), Every aspect of the masala template has been amplified to monstrous proportions.
The second section picks off just where the first one left off. The "pillars" of Narachi are now forced to accept Rocky as their new master. Of course, this causes widespread resentment, and it is evident that betrayals will befall Rocky left, right, and centre. But we don't watch KGF for the plot's ingenuity; we watch it for the production's inventiveness. When we think we've reached the pinnacle of a specific issue, Prashanth gives us a lopsided smile, as if it's only the tip of an iceberg. This happens several times, indicating the writing's potency. In other films, for example, the meeting of Adheera and Rocky might have been the ultimate climactic showdown.
Getting into the movie:
There's something so bizarre yet beautiful about the K.G.F series that they no longer create them. That they no longer picture scenes fueled by complete insanity. After all, K.G.F films are of a higher calibre.
In K.G.F: Chapter 2, Rocky Bhai (a rocking Yash washed and cleansed under macho orgy) takes a machine gun out to blow up a police station in the pretence of a "field test." He fires aimlessly, a cigarette hanging from his lip, to demonstrate his prowess as bullets fly past the station and everything in between. With an equally electrifying background score by Ravi Basrur, bullet casings fall to the ground as Bhai moves in slow motion to light up his cigarette from the gun's nozzle.
Prashanth Neel underlines what the K.G.F films are for in that single shot: to produce a frantic cinematic experience with little time for us to analyse logic and sense. For K.G.F to work for you, there is only one way to look at it: engage in the lunacy it delivers – from scene to scene; one set piece to the next; one exuberant stunt choreography to the next.
The marriage of Hollywood motifs from key personalities - Coppola, Scorsese, Mel Gibson to Peter Jackson and George Miller — with masala flourishes from Indian directors has to be Prashanth Neel's most spectacular achievement. Even though it remains a possibility throughout, the collision of two realms is dramatic and emotional. Let me demonstrate this marriage with a fantastic moment from K.G.F Chapter 2 that involves Bhai but isn't about him.
Reena (Srinidhi Shetty) tries to inform Bhai that she is expecting his child. She doesn't tell him right away, but she drops hints that Bhai, who is concerned with business, misses. Now, the conventional method is to have Reena declare that she is going to become a mother or Bhai declare that he is going to become a father. "Amma vara poranga," she says instead, referring to Bhai's emotional struggle with his mother's memories. Not to mention the soothing lullaby music in the background. I was choked. This is masala in its purest form.
To be honest, the only emotional stake that holds both K.G.F flicks together is Bhai's mother's anguish, which is a throwback to a classic theme from the masala world of a prior period — however. There is something special about Prashanth Neel's concept of masala in comparison to SS Rajamouli's, who, we must admit, brought about a much-needed resurgence in Indian cinema's masala tradition. Neel's films are more intense, whereas Rajamouli's are visionary works.
Speaking of tradition, Sanjay Dutt's casting as Adheera is quite extraordinary. Dutt, who was once the poster boy for hyper-masculinity, is the only actor who could have done justice to a film universe replete with macho rage. Do you remember Vaastav? What about Khal Nayak? However, the rationale for bringing in Dutt appears to be Prashanth Neel's desire for the actor to reprise his scary appearance as Kancha from Agneepath. When Yash and Dutt clash, it appears that the latter has passed on the hyper-masculine muscle man that he is known for to the former. Which, in and of itself, could have been a suitable conclusion to a celebration of the Angry Young Man heroes of yore.
K.G.F: Chapter 2 picks up precisely where the first chapter left off, with Rocky Bhai presenting himself as the messiah, freeing 20,000 men, women, and children in KGF. Except for the addition of three new antagonists in Adheera, Ramika Sen, and Inayat Khalil, there is nothing new in the way things are dealt with in the second instalment. Everything that was flat and derivative in K.G.F: Chapter 1 is still flat and derivative in the sequel.
Despite the fact that the dialogues in Tamil (written by Ashok Kumar) are superb, this film suffers from a lack of screenplay. A song mentions rough rock and a hammer that hits you like a bullet. We watch a moment early on in which a boy born and bred in KGF enters Bhai's camp to train as an armed guard. When his mother (Eswari Rao) warns him, he reminds her that it was because of Bhai that they were allowed to perform namaz in the first place. The irony of the scene screams at you. As long as the social order in that place is preserved, they are all committed to Bhai. In this way, people's perceived freedom is governed by nature. But, K.G.F., this musing isn't the subject of Chapter 2. It's all about high-speed exploits, and they're wild (stunt directors are Anbarivu).
There are few functional women in this circus of male toxicity. Of course, this isn't a film aimed specifically at women. That is explicitly mentioned in Rocky Bhai's debut sequence, in which Reena is coerced into joining KGF against her will. That is far from the most troubling part. When she inquires as to why Bhai responds that she is her "entertainment," he says that she is her "entertainment." Reena's part is so ludicrous and foolish that she is an affront to all one-note female protagonists in today's masala flicks. Raveena Tandon's persona, Prime Minister Ramika Sen, appears dangerous; nevertheless, she is not.
Conclusion:
Part two repeats the shortcomings of the first half, such as the quick editing of scenes, the near-deafening background score, and the tedious back-and-forth narration (this time by Prakash Raj) worshipping the hero. The narrative's weight becomes clear in the middle section, as Prashanth Neel grapples with Rocky Bhai's political chapter. All of this makes you wonder if K.G.F: Chapter 1 was more thorough and wholesome.
KGF2 outperforms KGF1 in terms of writing, and it also outperforms KGF1 in terms of concepts. All that is left to do now is wait for Chapter 3 to find out what happened in the inky blue depths of the Indian Ocean studded with gold bars.
"KGF 2" is a paisa vasool entertainer in general. It's a party for the masses. The film is a "baap" of elevations that lives up to the hype. "KGF 2" entertains while also providing an immersive experience with numerous mass moments.
My Rating: 9.5/10
