"Baaghi 2," directed by Ahmed Khan, by James Scarborough
March 31, 2018
INTRODUCTION. Directed by Ahmed Khan, “Baaghi 2” is a hot mess. This cinematic equal of a strobe light is just too much, too often for an otherwise so-so script. When Neha (Disha Patani) meets Ranveer Pratap Singh (Tiger Shroff), she notes his arrogant brashness. He’s loud, energetic, and passionate. This plays well when he’s in love (it makes him adorable). It also works when he helps her with a favor that becomes biblical in scale (it makes him insurmountable). Since Ranveer focuses the story, the noise around him makes sense. The production’s problem is that everything clangs. Ranveer’s goal – this favor – should be our goal. Just as he gets distracted by various obstacles, though, so too we get distracted by noise. When everything’s at such a pitch, nothing stands out. One good thing, though, emerges from this noise. We don’t notice plot holes and underutilized minor characters.
WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Neha (Disha Patani) and Ranveer Pratap Singh (Tiger Shroff) had a brief, intense high school fling. (As we learn in the last few minutes, it was brief but consequential.) He was cocky, over the top. In public, she hated him; in private, though, is another matter. Her father couldn’t stand him, in public or in private. Ranveer went all in with his affection. This made for some great romantic scenes and song and dance numbers. When Neha’s mother dies, she dumps Ranveer to console her grieving father. To mend his broken heart, Ranveer joins the army. He becomes an animal, though he tends to use a little too much force in his missions. This disturbs his CO (just as Daniel Craig’s James Bond exasperated Judy Dench’s M; Quite the body count you’re building up, Bond.) Still, he’s a credit to his service and his country, though his heart is still lost to Neha.
Four years pass. Out of the blue, he gets a call out of the blue from Neha. She’s since married and has a daughter. His ex is in trouble, bigger trouble than she can imagine. Her husband, Shekar (Darshan Kumar) and her brother-in-law, Sunny (Prateik Babbar) aren’t much help. Neither are two police officers, Shergill (Manoj Bajpayee) and ACP LSD (Randeep Hooda). Enter Ranveer, with fists, feet, hips, and every possible body part blazing. Though he solves Neha’s problem, the collateral damage makes you wonder if that ludicrous body count was worth the effort.
WHY DOES IT MATTER? The film mirrors our zeitgeist. That’s not a good thing, especially when you forget it’s meant to entertain. The story’s violence is so prevalent and consistent that it goes beyond gratuitous. It appears, dare I say, normal? Honestly, you become disappointed when some crazy contorted blow gets delivered with only the strength of ten and not a hundred men. Plus, for God’s sake, a) Does Neha have to get pulverized the way men three times her size get pulverized? and b). Do we have to see it time and again in flashbacks?
WHO SHOULD SEE IT? If you can get beyond the noise and the just-functional script, people who like exuberant films that are as likely to break into song and dance aw shucks romances as into last man standing murder and mayhem.
WHAT SHOULD I FOCUS ON? The fight scenes. Think what you will about the impact those punches, kicks, gunshots, grenades, and stabbings have on human beings, their acrobatics are something to marvel at. Khan knew as much. In one impressive scene, he uses an overhead shot to show Ranveer squaring off against a hoard of armed men. You can decry the idea of the violence at the same time you admire its choreography, CGI, and acting. Still, a connoisseur of cinematic violence is not a badge of honor.
The chemistry between Disha Patani and Tiger Shroff. You can appreciate why Ranveer would help Neha out of her jam. Their love story was as magical as her betrayal by those she trusted was dastardly.
Manoj Bajpayee and Randeep Hooda. Their roles are paper thin and disproportionate to the responsibilities their characters carry. Still, their interpretations of Shergill and CAP LSD make you wish the script gave them meatier roles.
VERDICT? This high-octane production passes from energetic and rambunctious, tones that would have well served the script, to frenetic and obnoxious, which made the script an afterthought.