Review: ‘Khuda Haafiz 2’ is raw, brutal and intense, but with a purpose (Rating: ****)

Film: Khuda Haafiz: Chapter II – Agni Pariksha (running in theatres). Duration: 144 minutes.

Director: Faruk Kabir. Cast: Vidyut Jammwal, Shivaleeka Oberoi, Sheeba Chaddha, Dibyendu Bhattacharya and Rajesh Tailang.
Rating: ****

Like the old saying goes, never mess with a man’s family and if you do, make sure that man is not Vidyut Jammwal, as he will tear your heart out without caring much about the consequences.

The sequel of ‘Khuda Haafiz’ picks up from where the first part ended. Sameer and Nargis are trying to put the Noman mishap behind them, but it is not easy. Nargis suffers from PTSD, depression and doesn’t trust a soul, whereas Sameer is trying his level best to save the broken marriage.

As fate would have it, Nandini, an orphan, is introduced into their lives, Sameer opens his heart and soul for the little girl, but Nargis is a little irritated about her arrival. But with time, she opens up to her and Nandini puts life back into the couple’s life.

Just when everything is going fine, tragedy strikes. Nandini and one more girl from the school are kidnapped by four boys, and one of them is the son of a local politician, Thakur Ji, played by the formidable Sheeba Chaddha.

Sameer and Nargis move heaven and earth to find their missing daughter, only to find her raped and killed by those four boys; fortunately, one girl survives, and Sameer rushes her to hospital, saving her life.

Broken, beaten and angry, Sameer pummels the local cop, who refuses to write the FIR, which results in prison time and that is where the film takes a turn. He makes friends with the rival gang and starts turning into a formidable gangster, and finally, secures bail.

Once out, there is nothing to stop Sameer from seeking vengeance for his daughter. He kills everyone coming in his way to find the real culprit.

Sameer was driven and focused in the first part, but in the second, he is angry, raw and brutal to a point where he rips open one of the accused with his bare hands and that is what we love about Jammwal — his raw intensity and physical prowess as he beats baddies.

Apart from intensity and brutality, the film also narrates a tale of emotion, love and redemption for a father and mother, a husband and wife. The emotional angle is pretty high and there are moments when you feel your throat tightening up.

Shivaleeka Oberoi shines. She doesn’t miss a beat or emotion, a woman who doesn’t seem to catch a break. She has a tough role to play, but she does it with aplomb.

Sheeba Chaddha and Dibyendu Bhattacharya, both seasoned actors, perform magically and make you hate them from the bottom of your heart. Finally, the lead character, Vidyut. He’s an inspiration, or rather a surprise when he cries bitter tears of pain, and makes you feel for the tough nut that he is.

‘Khuda Hafiz: Chapter II – Agni Pariksha’ is helmed by Faruk Kabir, who has done a stunning job with the movie. Though the film tends to weigh more towards violence but its narrative is in the right place. The music of the film is absolutely spot-on, the songs are situational, and they are well-written, composed and presented.

There is one spoiler as well, the way the second part ends, with Vidyut killing everyone, and becoming the leader of the gang, and Shivaleeka on the verge of becoming a mother, so there is a third part coming.