‘Mardaani 2’ Review: Rani Mukerji Packs A Solid Punch In This Hard-hitting Drama; Vishal Jethwa Aka ‘Sunny’ Steals The Show

Gripping narrative and compelling performances make 'Mardaani 2' a must-watch.

Film: Mardaani 2 Cast: Rani Mukerji, Vishal Jethwa Direction: Gopi Puthran Ratings: 3.5 stars It’s a crime that Rani Mukerji is not doing a lot of films these days. The Bengali beauty is back once again as Shivani Shivaji Roy with the sequel of her much-loved ‘Mardaani’. Unlike the prequel which was set in Mumbai and focused on human trafficking, ‘Mardaani 2’ deals with the issue of rape and murder. The story set against the backdrop of Kota focuses on how Shivani engages in a ferocious battle with the villain Sunny (Vishal Jethwa), who rapes young women before killing them mercilessly. The antagonist is a young guy from Meerut, who is clever, remorseless and continuously outsmarts the cops. He strongly believes women should stay within their ‘aukat’.  His mindset will make you cringe. How Shivani nabs the ruthless villain forms the crux of the story. Director Gopi Puthran successfully manages to gain your attention from the very first scene where he establishes the tone of the film. He keeps it short and simple and yet says everything with his direction. His film questions misogyny & gender inequality through its lead character Shivani and keeps you heavily invested. There is never a dull moment in ‘Mardaani 2’ and I literally waited for the interval to get over because the first half is so gripping and I couldn’t wait for the second half to start soon. There were no songs to interrupt the flow and the background music was apt. There will be times when your blood will boil and this is where the director and actors need to be credited. The underwater sequence featuring the protagonist and antagonist is gripping. How the maniac villain becomes obsessed with the heroine and tries to show the lady her place definitely makes for an interesting watch. He dares to enter her house and even the police station disguised as a tea seller. The climax of the scene will definitely give you chills. The heroine-villain confrontation at the end is a delight for the fans and will shake you. Without giving much detail into the climax, I will only say that it hits you at the right notes. You will cheer for Shivani when she beats Sunny blue and black with his own ‘spikey’ belt. Trust me, you will have emotions flowing all over. We need to give a shout out to Shanoo Sharma for casting Vishal Jethwa as the antagonist. TV buffs will clearly remember him for his role of Akbar in Sony TV’s ‘Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap’. The actor holds his ground confidently against Rani Mukerji and delivers a rocking performance for a debutant. He nails his character of an innocent looking yet vicious boy, who leaves behind a trail of bruised female bodies after committing the heinous crime. In short, the young lad does full justice to his character. And yes, you will love him when he is disguised as a woman. The more you say about Rani Mukerji, the less it is. The actress plays her role of a no-nonsense, feisty and fearless SSP with ease. Her screen presence and aura as a policewoman works wonders for the sequel. Rani delivers a sincere and power-packed performance once again. To conclude, Rani Mukerji’s ‘Mardaani’ is a hard-hitting film that will keep you on the edge of your seats with its drama. The film is a must-watch as it manages to keep you hooked from the first scene to its last.