“This story is written in blood. It can't continue in ink. If it has to continue, it can only be in blood.” This line delivered by Prakash Raj in the trailer of KGF Chapter 2 sums up the kind of ride we will be in for in theatres from April 14.
Garuda is dead. KGF now has a new king. ROCKY BHAI.
If you thought Chapter 1 was big, you'll be at a loss for words to explain the sheer scale of the sequel. The word 'mass' will in all possibility acquire a new standard.
One could argue that KGF Chapter 1 put the Kannada industry back on the map after quite sometime. While the Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam industries broke the barriers and began appealing to a pan-Indian audience, the Kannada industry needed a strong movie to catapult itself to the zenith. KGF did just that.
Be it punches or the punch dialogues, KGF cracked the formula and delivered a thoroughly engrossing action flick.
Now that the franchise has got an entire country waiting with bated breath to find out about Rocky Bhai's journey, director Prashanth Neel seems to have given it his all in the sequel.
Chapter 2 promises to come out with guns blazing. Keeping the movie's growing fanbase in mind, the franchise has roped in Bollywood heavyweights like Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon to play significant roles.
While, Sanjay Dutt plays Adheera, the fearsome antagonist who will stand up to Rocky's monstrous energy to claim back KGF, Raveena will appear as a feisty minister. 'Rocking Star' Yash will reprise his role as Rocky Bhai, the one-man army who fears none.
Yash gained nationwide acceptance almost immediately with his thunderous performance in the first movie. He could well become the biggest action hero of the Indian film industry if the sequel delivers all that it's promised in the trailer.
What worked in Chapter 1?
KGF Chapter 1 had a well thought-out story and focused on delivering unconditional justice to it. The team never got its priority mixed up. The movie had no unnecessary deviations or music breaks or foreign dance sequences. The director knew what he wanted and stuck to the plan from Day 1.
The punch dialogues truly had some punch to it. It is not easy to deliver mass dialogues, which could become extremely cringe if overdone. The movie's dialogues were TikTok and Instagram Reel favourites for a long time.
The casting worked surprisingly well. Right from the protagonist to the supporting cast, every character looked the part.
Ravi Basrur's impactful score helped the movie's image tremendously. Be it the energising 'Dheera Dheera' or the hard-hitting mother's love anthem, you felt for the central character and strangely understood why he was doing what he was doing.
Chapter 2 seems to have dialled up all the standout elements from Chapter 1. Ravi Basrur's music has yet again been creating waves. His 'Toofan' gives the audience a true sense of all the mass and bloodshed that's in store, while 'Gagana Nee' is a perfect callback to the mother's anthem.
Produced under the banner of Hombale Films, KGF Chapter 2 has been shot with a mammoth budget of Rs 100 crore. Archana Jois, Srinidhi Shetty and Anant Nag, among others, reprise their roles from Chapter 1.
What might standout?
The cinematography, music, stunts and art direction may become the most talked about aspects of the sequel.
If the trailer is anything to go by, Bhuvan Gowda's cinematography will be mesmerising.
The art department seems to have pulled off a masterpiece with the sets of KGF.
No action movie becomes a cult piece without its standout action sequences. Stunt Rider Sufi's action choreography will be an interesting element to look out for.
Could graphic violence be a problem?
All said, the amount of violence in the movie could be a problem for families who want to catch the movie with their kids. But then, the trailer introduces the protagonist saying: “Violence violence violence. I don't like it. I avoid. But violence likes me. I can't avoid.”
So, it would be wise if families listen to Rocky Bhai and wait for the first reviews of the movie to drop.
KGF Chapter 2 releases in theatres on April 14.
