Raman Raghav 2.0 Movie Review

Nawazuddin Siddique plays the dreaded serial killer in Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0. Anurag Kashyap’s fascination of Bombay of the yesteryear continues as he explores the city of the 60s again after Bombay Velvet. But this time, he shows a different Bombay, from the eyes of a psychopath, a homeless killer who killed at will. The setting though is contemporary Bombay instead of Bombay of the 60s.

Raman Raghav 2.0 opened to rave reviews at Cannes 2016 and with praise for Nawazuddin’s performance in the movie.  The movie though is not about the Raman Raghav. Here the protagonist is inspired by Raman Raghav and feels he is connected to the police chief Raghavan (Vicky Kaushal).

Only, as opposed to the usual cop and robbers drama, here both the main characters of the movie are hunters. There’s is not doubt that the setting and trailer promise a dark 2 hours in theaters. The question is can Kashyap hold the audience and build the kind of anticipation and dread a serial killer movie needs.

Raman Raghav 2.0 (2016)

Director: Anurag Kashyap
Stars: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vicky Kaushal, Sobhita Dhulipala

Raman Raghav 2.0 Movie Review: Not Dark Enough

There’s Ramanna in us all. That seems to be the key takeaway from the movie. Raman is clearly a disturbed individual with violent tendencies from his childhood. He is impulsive, impatient, and brutal. People who don’t listen to him or insult him deserve to die. And this is what he lives by.  He takes what he wants, when he wants, and god forbid if you irk him, he will not hesitate to kill.

Nawazuddin plays this role quite effectively. Although the director fails to give the movie a dark tone. Because the audience know who the killer is the movie doesn’t have much to build anticipation in the audience. However, the character of Raman is too casual and at no  point will you feel any anxiety.

With no suspense, the act of killing should create a feeling of doom and disturb the audience in some way. With thrill and suspense out of the story, what is left is an emotional drama. But the story does not focus a lot on why Raman is what he is.

As for the connection between the policeman Raghav and Raman, Raman feels a connection with the junkie cop who is just as impulsive and ready to kill, under the influence. It is hard to sum up the movie, but be assured it is not thrilling or dark enough to give you the chills.

In summary, I don’t think it should be your choice for the weekend. 7 Hours to Go seems much more entertaining and thrilling than Raman Raghav 2.0, which fails to hold the audience.