Directed: Aejaz Gulab
Rating: *1/2
A decade after 'Ab Tak Chappan' was released, this apology of a sequel brutally kills the original. Shoddy production qualities, uneven background music, jaded dialogues and pointless, unimaginative script scheme together to make this sequel a bit of a disaster
In 2004, Shimit Amin made a gritty film on an upright cop, Sadhu Agashe (Nana Patekar), who believed that criminals should be eliminated as soon as they are caught, thus sending a strong message out there. The film, produced by Ram Gopal Varma, was said to be largely inspired by the life of the then encounter specialist, Daya Nayak.
This well-crafted and much appreciated film sided with the cop's debatable point of view. But then that was a decade ago, when the underworld was a looming threat and the encounter technique hadn't come under the scanner.
A decade later, this gem of a film is brutally killed in what could be called a totally uncalled for encounter by a group of gentlemen, who had nothing to do with the original. In this apology of a sequel, Agashe is wooed back into the police force by the Home Minister (Vikram Gokhale), much to the discomfort of a junior cop (Ashutosh Rana). Even as Agashe goes around shooting criminals, tragedy strikes in his personal life again, thus driving him to take an extreme step. Gul Panag plays a crime reporter.
Yes, Nana Patekar still plays Agashe quite admirably with the same passion. Not much has changed in this decade for Patekar, who still has a tremendous screen presence, and who still excels at the art of keeping the audience enraptured even if he's spouting the lamest of lines. But a powerful presence by the lead actor is obviously not enough, when almost everything else fails. Shoddy production qualities, uneven background music, jaded dialogues and pointless, unimaginative script scheme together to make this sequel a bit of a disaster.
What makes it worse is the strange camera is placed dangerously low so that it sneakily jumps out at us from the most unexpected places. This might be a director's attempt at making it all look artistic and 'hatke', but what it ends up doing is showing us sights like the not-so-pretty thighs of a dhoti wearing politician. among other unmentionable things.
Avoid. If feeling nostalgic, watch the original again.
