Some movies are made only to cater to a certain demographic. Perhaps Raman Raghav 2.0 is one of those movies; a rather sordid affair catapulted to grotesque heights of debauchery by a demented killing machine, Ramanna (Nawazuddin Siddique), and Raghavan (Vicky Kaushal), a druggy cop.
The movie might draw inspiration from late 60’s serial killer Raman Raghav, but it quickly attempts to dispel that notion by stating that the movie isn’t about him before it all starts unravel.
The movie starts with a couple of scenes that don’t really feature a lot of dialogues, though the visuals do the talking and manage to introduce us to the characters.
The narrative chugs on with each passing murder, with their own different intents, sprinkled with some dark comedy. The entire plot is held by the parallel lives of Ramanna and Raghav; being two completely different individuals coming from two completely different walks of life, their motives for indulging in the things they do being different.
Despite all of this, their paths interlope and we witness probably the most sardonic yet heartwarming, satisfyingly sickening reasoning for the same in the end by a blood thirsty yet cool and calculating Ramanna, a man driven by his faith in the designs of God.
I am definitely not one for giving away plot points and the best parts of a movie, but one would be advised to remain a bit wary of some lurid references and scenes that revolve around revolting themes like incest, abuse and so on.
The performances were quite commendable actually, and I found it a bit difficult to pinpoint any shortcomings. Nawazuddin was in top form, Vicky Kaushal plays his role quite convincingly and works extremely hard to go toe to toe with the former.
Sobhita Dhulipala produces a solid debut performance, making every second of the scenes she managed to find space in count. Amruta Subhash was terrific in the short-lived role (Ironically) of Ramanna’s estranged sister who managed to escape the monstrosity of her brother to have a family consisting of her husband and child, only to one day find herself facing him again, pretty much for the last time until he bludgeons her and her family (Yes, including the child) to death.
All in all, it is a sinister and familiarly raw offering from Anurag Kashyap, who seems to have found his feet again after delivering ‘Bombay Velvet’. If you’re into serial killers and other things murderous in general, don’t miss this one out.
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