Kazhugu 2 Movie Review: Rating 2.5/5
Cast: Krishna, Bindhu Madhavi, Kaali Venkat, M S Baskar & Others
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Camera: Raja Bhattacharjee
Editing: Gopi Krishna
Direction: Sathya Shivaa
Producer: Singaravadivelan
Kazhugu, which released a few years ago, hardly has any similarity to its supposedly made sequel, except for its lead artistes and the backdrop of a hill station. While Krishna, one of the leads in the prequel, played a character who retrieves dead bodies from the suicide point, this time, he’s Johnny, a petty thief, who along with Kali Venkat, indulges unapologetically in robbery for living. A certain situation forces the duo to go to Kodaikanal from Theni (where they are settled) and they are mistaken as hunters who have come to save the people there from some dangerous wolves.The story revolves around two petty thieves Johnny (Kreshna) and his accomplice Kaali (played by Kali Venkat), as they are mistaken for huntsmen who can protect the labourers who are working in a deadly forest that is habituated by wolves. The crooks use this opportunity as a hideout and what happens next forms the rest of the film. The film has a lot of subplots that make up for a decent crime drama. We get to see shady deals, criminals on the run and much more. But the writing fails to capitalize on these juicy elements.
Even Krishna’s Sera, with his alcoholism and an almost animalistic behaviour trait, had a very distinct quality to it. So it further worked for the film when a woman (played by Bindu Madhavi) falls for, what seems like, a unlovable person. In a sense, Kazhugu made up for what it lacked in finesse with texture.
Which is what I was expecting with Kazhugu 2 as it brings the same team back together. If the first film was set on the hills, we’ve now moved to the forests. Johny (Krishna) and Kaali (Kaali Venkat) are mistaken for hunters and taken to protect a group of tree fellers from wild dog attacks. They are petty criminals and are looking at this job as a hideout to stay as far away from the police as possible. But Merly (Bindu Madhavi), like Kavi in the first film, is magnetically drawn to Kreshna’s Johny, for no apparent reason apart from the fact that we’re watching the sequel. The visuals of Raja Battacharjee and the soulful music of Yuvan Shankar Raja are the only two factors that keep us invested in the film despite the largely predictable narration. However, unlike Kazhugu, this time around, Yuvan’s songs are not able to lift the film to the next level as the setting is already weak.
Whenever a sequel ends up being underwhelming, people tend to blame the change in director, cast or crew. But Kazhugu 2, made with the same exact team, has no such excuse to offer and the drop in quality is quite perplexing.The prequel worked effectively, because of its painstaking detail and well-written roles unlike the one-note characterization of this film.
