Soodhu Kavvum 2 movie review: Even Shiva and Karunakaran can’t salvage this disappointing disservice to the original 

Soodhu Kavvum 2 is essentially a political satire, and it starts off with the story of how Radha Ravi becomes the Tamil Nadu CM. Soon enough, we shift timelines to pre-Soodhu Kavvum days to show that the OG ‘kednapping’ specialist was Guru (Shiva), who disbands his motley group of criminals and surrenders to the cops. What connects Guru and Das from the first film? It is Arul Doss’ Rowdy Doctor who moonlights as a filmmaker. What connects both the films? It is the kidnapping of Arumai Pragasam (Karunakaran). But both these connections are so all over the place, and familiar but unconvincing that the film falters even before it could start. 

What makes the sequel a rather unflattering addition is how Soodhu Kavvum 2 has the same beats as the original. As in, it isn’t just in the treatment, but even the scene structure and order. Why call it a sequel, when it is essentially a remake, albeit a disappointing one. Guru has the same issues as Das. Guru is saddled with two henchmen who create more problems than they solve. Guru has an imaginary girlfriend, and there is an elaborate life-and-death sequence featuring this fantasy character. Arumai Pragasam uses his mother as a shield when it comes to saving his skin from his father’s righteous wrath. He continues to find a way to stage his own kidnapping. There is a trigger-happy cop who wants to bring this kidnapping gang to justice. One different thing is the inclusion of one more trigger-happy cop who wants to bring the other kidnapping gang to justice, which only results in long-drawn sequences that are neither dark nor funny, and ends up becoming a grating mess. 

Here’s the trailer:

It isn’t to say that Soodhu Kavvum 2 didn’t have redemptive qualities. There were a few laughs here and there, but the film definitely needed more. Even though inspired, the scenes involving Shiva and his shenanigans in the kidnapping sequences are fun. But why pull back punches in comic set pieces when the aim is to bowl us over by the sheer incredulity of things. The film needed more scenes like the one where a random doctor is forced to do a surgical procedure on Guru’s imaginary girlfriend. Also, why go for similar scenes to the original in the name of callback when the entire film feels like one? There is an interesting angle to be explored in Guru’s need to consume alcohol on a timely basis because in the absence of the intoxicant, he starts ‘seeing’ snakes everywhere. However, it isn’t explored enough, and it goes on a tangent that grounds the idea to a great extent. Oh, the film needed more quirks across departments.

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The biggest drawback of Soodhu Kavvum 2 is the rudderless actions of the protagonists. There is nothing organic or seamless about the way these characters find their way out of trouble. It feels like random scenes stitched together in the hope that something would come off it. Even the background score and songs are very similar to the first film, and it is an unnecessary burden on composer Edwin Louis Viswanath because Soodhu Kavvum featured one of Santhosh Narayanan’s best-ever soundtracks. It makes one question the need for being so faithful to the original that the film in hand becomes invisible. With the strong ensemble, played by earnest actors, not having anything original to play around with, even actors with proven comic talent like Shiva and Karunakaran feel underserved by the writing. There is only so much they can do when the film is happier seeing them exist rather than thrive. 

Oh! The film is a political satire that still grinds the same old axe of ‘freebies are keeping people disillusioned.’ Of course, they extend the scope of the freebies to include a lot more whimsical things, but it doesn’t come across as well-intentioned. Why blame people for the incompetence of the system? Anyway, back in 2013, Soodhu Kavvum came out of nowhere and took Tamil cinema by storm, and the reception to the film propelled the cast and crew to the top. It was one of those runaway hits that defined the careers of many.

As the credits rolled, Soodhu Kavvum 2 served as a reminder as to why the re-release trend seems to be catching up across the world. Sometimes, it does make sense. 

Soodhu Kavvum 2 movie director: SJ Arjun
Soodhu Kavvum 2 movie cast: Shiva, Karunakaran, MS Bhaskar, Vagai Chandrasekhar, Radha Ravi
Soodhu Kavvum 2 movie rating: 1.5 stars