Dhoom 2 Movie Review

Dhoom 2 Movie Review: Dhoom 2 (transl. Blast 2), also known as Dhoom 2: Back in Action and stylized as Dhoom: 2, is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language heist action thriller film directed by Sanjay Gadhvi and written by Vijay Krishna Acharya, based on a story by Aditya Chopra. Produced under the banner Yash Raj Films, the movie stars Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu, and Uday Chopra. Dhoom 2 was primarily shot in India, Durban, and Rio de Janeiro, making it the first major Hindi film to be shot in Brazil. It is a sequel to the 2004 film Dhoom and the second installment in the Dhoom series. Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra reprise their roles as buddy cops Jai Dixit and Ali Khan, respectively. Yash Raj Films collaborated with Pepe Jeans and Coca-Cola for the film’s promotional tie-ups.

The film premiered on 24 November 2006 in India, achieving the widest release in Indian cinema history with over 1,800 prints. It grossed over ₹1.514 billion and was declared a “blockbuster” by Box Office India. Dhoom 2 became the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2006 and, at the time of its release, was the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time. It was also the seventh highest-grossing Bollywood film in overseas markets at the time. Critics praised its action sequences, soundtrack, cinematography, and cast performances (particularly Hrithik Roshan’s), though its pace and script were criticized.

At the 52nd Filmfare Awards, Dhoom 2 received eight nominations, including Best Film, Best Director (Gadhvi), and Best Actress (Rai), and won Best Actor (Roshan). This film marked the second collaboration between Roshan and Bachchan after Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, and the fourth collaboration between Bachchan and Rai after Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke, Kuch Naa Kaho, and Umrao Jaan.

The film stirred controversy post-release when the Mumbai city police commissioner appealed for censorship of the fast-paced rash driving scenes, fearing they would inspire Indian youths to ride their motorcycles recklessly, leading to an increase in road accidents. A sequel, titled Dhoom 3, was released on 20 December 2013. Dhoom 3 went on to become the twelfth-highest-grossing Hindi film to date and the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time at its release. Abhishek Bachchan has since named Dhoom 2 his favorite film in the series.

Dhoom 2 Movie Review - The Celeb Guru

Story

In the Namib Desert, the master thief Mr. A skydives onto a train carrying Queen Elizabeth II. Disguising himself as the Queen, he easily overpowers the guards and steals her crown, then makes a swift escape. ACP Jai Dixit and the newly promoted SI Ali Akbar Khan are assigned to the case and meet Shonali Bose, a special officer and Jai’s former classmate. Analyzing Mr. A’s heist patterns, Jai predicts the next theft will occur at one of two famous Mumbai museums. Realizing too late that the artifact in the museum he’s guarding is a decoy, he rushes to the second museum, where Mr. A successfully steals a rare diamond and escapes.

As Mr. A is about to board a flight, he sees a news broadcast of an imposter claiming to be him and challenging the police to stop the theft of an ancient warrior sword. Jai, Bose, and Khan tighten security around the sword. That night, Mr. A encounters the imposter in the room with the sword. Despite police intervention, they manage to steal the sword, and Shonali is injured during the confrontation. The imposter reveals herself as Sunehri, a thief who idolizes Mr. A and seeks to partner with him. Initially reluctant, Mr. A agrees after a game of basketball.

In Rio de Janeiro, Mr. A and Sunehri plan their next heist. Jai’s analysis suggests Rio as the location of Mr. A’s next target, prompting Jai and Ali to travel there. They meet Monali, Shonali’s twin sister, and Ali quickly falls for her. Sunehri secretly meets Jai, revealing her partnership with Mr. A and her deal with Jai for freedom in exchange for information. However, she begins to develop genuine feelings for Mr. A, who reveals his true identity as Aryan Singh. During the Rio Carnival, Aryan discovers Sunehri’s betrayal when he sees her with Jai.

The next day, Aryan forces Sunehri into a game of Russian roulette to test her loyalty. After six empty chambers, Sunehri confesses her love for Aryan. For their final heist, Aryan and Sunehri, disguised as performing dwarfs, steal ancient Lydian coins. Sunehri calls Jai to break their deal, declaring her love for Aryan. Jai and Ali pursue the pair, leading to a standoff at a waterfall. Despite her feelings, Sunehri shoots Aryan, who falls into the waterfall, prompting Jai to let her go.

Six months later, Aryan is revealed to have survived and is running a restaurant in Fiji with Sunehri. Jai visits them and, acknowledging their love, decides not to arrest them. Aryan provides Jai with the location of all the stolen artifacts via a digital watch. Jai warns the couple against returning to crime before leaving. As he departs, Jai receives a call about a new case, prompting him and Ali to return to India.

Production

The Dhoom franchise began with the release of Dhoom in 2004, which became a commercial box office hit and received positive reviews from audiences. However, critics gave it mixed-to-negative reviews. Following its success, producer Yash Chopra announced a sequel titled Dhoom 2 – Back in Action. John Abraham, who played the villain Kabir Sharma in the first film, was not included in the sequel as Chopra wanted a fresh storyline. Instead, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai were introduced as the main antagonists.

Rai’s character was likened to Catwoman, a femme fatale or anti-hero from comic books. Rai commented, “All I can tell you is it would be nothing like anything you’ve seen me do before.” Aditya Chopra instructed Rai to lose weight, as she had gained some for her role in Bride & Prejudice (2004). Yash Chopra added, “The role requires Rai to convey oodles of sensuality. She asked for a couple of months to get into shape. At Yash Raj Films, we are very clear about every character and what’s required of the actors. Before Dhoom, Esha Deol was specifically briefed about the look and attitude she needed to cultivate. She readily agreed, and look at what Dhoom did to her career!” Roshan also lost 5 kg for his role at Aditya Chopra’s request.

Except for Abraham and Deol, all the main actors from Dhoom reprised their roles in Dhoom 2.