Senapathy is back…

The much awaited sequel of the 1996 super hit movie “Indian” released worldwide on 12 July 2024. Feat. Ulaganaayagan Kamal Hassan and a dozen famous actors (some who are no more anymore!), the film has been directed by Shankar and bankrolled by Lyca Productions with Udayanidhi Stalin (son of TN Chief Minister) releasing it in the state through his Red Giant movies. 

The current generation is all about vigilantism on social media, especially - they talk a lot about numerous social issues but very less action on display - a bit of “like I really care” and a lot of “indifference” to the corruption that is rooted in today’s India. 

That’s what “Barking Dogs” is, a channel operated on Youtube which is run by Chitra Aravindan (Siddharth) and his friends (Aarthi) Priya Bhavani Shankar, Thambesh (Jagan) and Harish (Rishikanth). They highlight social issues and get a lot of views, likes and followers for their online activism while raising awareness. 

During one such incident, Chitra (it is his Mother’s name which he uses as his first) witnesses a suicide at a Government office and takes corruption head on. 

Faced with challenges from the police and bureaucracy, he ends up behind the bars only to be released on bail by his girlfriend Disha (Rakul Preet Singh). 

He reminiscences the good old times when “Indian” alias Senapathy created fear in the minds of the corrupt three decades ago. He wishes for Indian’s return and starts an online campaign “Come Back Indian”. 

Senapathy, who is now hiding & residing in Taipei (Taiwan) kills a businessman Amit Agarwal (Gulshan Grover) aboard his private yacht using his trademark Varma Kalai, where the latter is partying hard with skimpily clad women. 

That there is an uncanny resemblance to Amit with former liquor baron & billionaire Vijay Mallya, especially creating a Calendar with models and running away from India with a INR 12,000 Cr unpaid debt, makes it an interesting spectacle to watch.

Seeing the online campaign, Senapathy decides to return to India in disguise where he is held at gunpoint at the Airport’s Immigration point by CBI officer Pramod (Bobby Simha). 

However, Indian 2 once again uses his Varma technique to immobilise Krishnaswamy, (Nedumudi Venu) former CBI officer who apprehends Senapathy in the prequel. Pramod is Krishnaswamy’s son in the sequel.

Upon his return, Senapathy starts killing erring bureaucrats, businessmen and the like, from Chennai’s Secretariat office to Gujarat to Punjab. 

This goes on for a long while (yawn!). During his first “outing”, he urges the youngsters to expose their own family members who aid or who are ingrained in corruption. 

Chitra’s friends expose their immediate family members while Chitra himself exposes his father who works in the Enforcement Department. Pained by this incident, Chitra’s mother commits suicide and the whole country starts blaming Senapathy. 

After a long chase by the cops even as Senapathy rides on a Unicycle (borrowed from a kid) and goes on a wild goose chase by the cops across Mumbai’s Worli beach front, Chennai’s Besant Nagar beach road, parts of Vizag among other areas, and aboard the Chennai Metro Rail, when he is finally apprehended by the cops. 

The best is when he defies gravity and rides 45* to earth inside a tunnel. Wow, Mr. Shankar. We thought only a robot could do this. Incidentally, Director Shankar has borrowed various dialogues from some of his former films including Sivaji, Anniyan and Enthiran. 

While being paraded by the cops, Senapathy immobilises Pramod and escapes after a hearing with a single Magistrate. Krishnaswamy pleads the Magistrate to let Senapathy go, so he could remobilise Pramod. 

All of a sudden, we see a 60+ sec. trailer of sorts of the next part when the movie finishes abruptly. 

Having seen corruption crusade movies like Gentleman, Mudhalvan and Anniyan by Shankar, we wonder why did the Director go about this mindless story and a weak narrative. 

Pluses 

At 70, Kamal Hassan not only emotes at his best, his mannerisms are among his career best. 

The prosthetic make up on the actor in atleast half a dozen get-ups is a beauty to watch.

The scenic shots by the cinematography department led by Ravi Varman is a delight to watch. 

Anirudh’s background music is soothing while at the same time gels well with the overall story theme. 

Misses

Shankar is either so out of touch with reality or just couldn’t care that corpses cannot be cremated with fire in the city. Only electric crematorium is allowed to operate within city limits while Mrs. Chitra is cremated the traditional way. 

The songs remain a weak part and are mostly fillers. 

As in many of his movies, several characters come and go in a blink such as Nilesh (Kalidas Jayaram) and SJ Suryah as a billionaire real estate baron

Over all, there are several flaws in the movie which many are highlighting on social media. 

The dialogues seem to indicate a lot of angst against the BJP-led Government and most of the erring bureaucrats and businessmen are from rest of India and not many such characters are shown from the state of Tamil Nadu. 

We fully understand the compulsions of the crew. This is neither a Shankar film not a Kamal Hassan film. 

Rather, it is a half-baked pasta prepared by a novice home chef with coconut oil and garnished with gherkins and olives with curry leaves for company and served on a traditional banana leaf. 

Try savouring it, if you know what I mean.