Dhoom 2: Magic Recreated...well almost!

Dhoom 2: Magic Recreated...well almost!

Here’s reproducing a review earlier published in November 2006 when Dhoom 2 released to packed houses and shattered many opening day, opening weekend and global collection (worldwide Rs. 150 crores) records.

Do read about Dhoom 2’s predecessor or the prequel that kick-started the Dhoom franchise here. Couldn’t restrain from adding a dash of nostalgia to this sequel review. The review published for the original Dhoom, around 27 months ago in a pleasant Delhi weather. 

Return from the dead.

A movie review after ages. But then that’s the kind of effect Dhoom has on you. One is compelled to go back to the keyboard and type out his thoughts. 

Dhoom 2 – A wonderful concept to begin with. A well-deserved sequel for the refreshing sleeper hit of 2004. And the drool casting itself makes up for a Paisa vasool venture. Literally speaking. The 35 crore biggie is already in the Green with the advance bookings (domestic and overseas) already throwing up a 40 crore figure. Guys, think about the new Bollywood model in place. Much before a single show has been screened. Much before a single review is out. Much before Hrithik has committed a single heist, the movie has already got the thumbs-up. Declared a Hit!! 

Coming to the movie itself. Whatta fantastic opening sequence! Be there to witness the hysteria. The shouts, the hoots, the whistles…The superhero has arrived! Hrithik-Mania is back AGAIN! And this time much bigger than both Kaho Na Pyar Hai and Krrish put together. 

Infact I had gone in with a snickometer kinda device. A tool to measure ‘Which star entry caused the maximum uproar in the audience?’. The results –  

Hrithik:             120 decibels

Ash:                 90 decibels

Bips:                 80 decibels

Abhi:                70 decibels

Uday:               65 decibels 

Guess you got the clue. The superhero simply dwarfs the rest of the cast.  

The movie Infact leverages perfectly on the high energy start and proceeds like a dream. The Uday Chopra ‘Mummy’ act works. Abhishek is at his brooding best. And the screamin n screechin Rimmi Sen takes you back to the original enterprise. Wow! We’re already feelin’ at home.  

The babes make a dazzling entry. Crazy kiya re. They perform, we lap it up.  

The heists continue. The crown from the Namibian desert. The diamond from the Mumbai museum. The sword from the Jodhpur palace. Each sequence is an adrenaline pumping act. Wonderfully executed (both on and off the screen). Kudos!

A slight twist in the tale. The cops and the thieves take positions. The perfect set-up for a heavy duty, high octave showdown. Voila! INTERMISSION!  

For those aroused to read further, folks, here’s a caveat – That’s all about Dhoom 2!! 

The movie nosedives rapidly in the second half. The Uday Chopra buffoonery starts getting monotonous. The track itself departs towards an Ash-Hrithik sweet nothingness. The music drags (bet you remember any other number apart from the Dhoom signature and Crazy stuff once you’re out of the audi).  

And to top it all, the tame climax is infact the biggest dampener of ‘em all. 

Leave our Anti-heroes the way they are. Rugged. Unreformed. No regrets, right till the end. John ridding off the cliff with a chiseled grin was what defined Dhoom I. A cinematic moment of excellence. However, in the sequel, Mr. A serving beer and dressing salad, leading a monk who forgot his Chori-chakari kinda existence cuts a very sorry figure. No way!  

Pre-release, the director (Sanjay Gadhvi) had ensured some action-packed stuff every 6 minutes. However, the second half of the movie literally begs for some action. Here’s a little analysis on the way the movie drags post intermission – 3 grand heists in the first 75 minutes. While a mere 1 in the closing 75! 

And no Tata Young to offset the Thanda ending either. Sad.  

To sum it up, Dhoom 2  works, fortunately for more than two thirds of its running length.

The franchise like most others in 2006 (Koi Mil Gaya, Hera Pheri, Munnabhai) certainly lives on. But a word of advice to the makers before embarking on the D:3 journey  

• Retain the original characters (Jai, Ali, Sweety), but do not go overboard in rehashing the old props over and over again (Ali’s mandatory song, his marital visions, the cop versus thief direct 1-0-1s)
• Concentrate on the music. D:2 is infact one of the biggest musical disappointments of the year.
• Please do not kill the spunk out of your Cool Chor. Let him remain jet black.
• And last, but not the least, please spare us the ham-of-an-actor i.e. SRK in D:3*. Ain’t the entire concept about chilled out, no frills, alpha males. So why not try an Akki instead? Fits the bill perfectly. What say? 

In the meanwhile, do they offer some discounts for watching just half-a-movie? Need to revisit the Dhoom of a first half once again….

*Please note that this review was published way back in November 2006 when a solid grapevine of SRK playing the anti-hero in the Dhoom 3 installment was doing the rounds. Fortunately, looks like better sense prevailed on the makers and finally it’s the maverick Aamir Khan playing the antagonist in Dhoom 3