‘Mardaani 2’ Is A Less Deserving Sequel To The Groundbreaking First Film, Yet Equally Shocking and Bone-Chilling

The best kind of movies are the ones that stay with you long after you leave the theater. They make you think and unsettle you, which is when you know the filmmaker and performers have done their job well. Mardaani 2, albeit a less deserving sequel to its predecessor, is one such film. Based on the trope of a cat and mouse game between a cop and a killer, the film focuses on one of the major issues with rape in India…victim-blaming.

Directed by Gopi Puthran and produced by Aditya Chopra, the film brings back the consistent charm of Rani Mukerji as the protagonist, a woman in a man’s world trying to do her best. While the first film focused on Rani’s character Shivani Shivaji Rao’s personal life and trepidations, the second one is all about the chase. Although the sequel follows the same formula of one creepy guy being at the center of all of it, it felt like something we have all seen before. From classics like The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Sushmita Sen’s highly underrated Samay (2003), Mardaani 2’s hunt felt familiar.

The Timeliness Of Mardaani 2

At a time when the political climate of the county is at unrest with discussions about women’s safety being ignored, a film like Mardaani 2 becomes very important. The film discusses established gender roles in Indian society, how women should behave in order to avoid rape and the “boys will be boys” mindset. Rani’s character, Shivani is a more seasoned officer than she was in the first film, her sly quips of smartly disagreeing with the prejudice of her male colleagues against independent women are a delight to watch. While the film lacks the layer and nuance of similar projects like Delhi Crime and Soni (both Netflix originals), it is nonetheless shocking and effective.

In one scene we see Rani’s character address a TV presenter about the injustices women face every day. The speech is rousing and gave me goosebumps. Giving yet another passionate performance, Rani is definitely the biggest draw of the film, though I am not sure it is such a good thing!

ALSO READ: Dr. Priyanka Reddy, Played By All The Rules And Still Ended Up Getting Raped And Burnt To Death. When Will This Ever Stop?

An Obvious Antagonist

I decided to rewatch the first Mardaani in order to put things in perspective. As mentioned before, both films have one man at the center of all the drama. This man is a direct representation of the monstrosity that accusers nurse as part of their personality. Tahir Raj Bhasin’s character, a college dropout/child sex trafficker was bone-chilling and plausible in the first film. And while Vishal Jethwa’s character, a contract killer/serial rapist was definitely creepy, it lost weight for being too on the nose. He was a maniac, a mentally disturbed and deranged human being who has nothing to lose. Played to ‘T’ by the young actor, we would have been more convinced if the character didn’t have plot armour. This man was able to do anything, even pack fully-grown women in gunny bags and carry them on his small frame. This is where we lost the film a bit. Heinous crimes happen against women every day, but they need to be shown in a plausible way in order to work and educate us further.

While the first film also had moments of humour to make its bleakness more evident, the second one barely lets us breathe with chuckle or two.

#RaniMukerji with female cops during the screening of her movie #Mardaani2 in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/08CDZ5juOz

— inextlive (@inextlive) December 12, 2019

The Depiction Of Violence

I remember watching the first film in a theater full of unsuspecting men and women back in 2014. The gritty and real representation of sex trafficking, forced prostitution, and the way crime syndicates work was impressive. We also know Rani’s character as being ‘Sherlockian’.  She is smart, witty and unfazed in the face of danger. Mardaani 2 stays true to its commitment to depicting the nitty-gritty of violence. The brutality in the film is shocking and terrifying, but so is the protagonist’s unwavering courage. I was also impressed by the good detective work shown in the films, although, sometimes it seems a bit farfetched.

Shivani also does not hold back from being down and dirty in order to get the job done. This is an interesting choice since the attitude towards female cops is more of being calm and demure. In one scene she points out how successful women are expected to be mild-mannered and “grateful” for the opportunity they are given to stand next to male achievers. It is these kinds of subtly written scenes that are a touch of genius in the film.

ALSO READ: Rani Mukerji Opens Up About Being Voice-Shamed Early On In Her Career. Seriously, Bollywood?

The Phenomenon Of Victim-Blaming

One of the biggest highlights of the film for me was how they portrayed the phenomenon of victim-blaming in rape cases. The deep introspection of inherent misogyny and chauvinism on Indian society manifests itself as blaming the woman for being raped. “She was out late”, “She was a Mooh-Phat“, “She was out of her limits” are some of the things we hear both men and women say in the film and it hits close to reality. I was glad to see parents accompanying young daughters to come to see the film, and see the problem with that mindset!

Regardless of a comparatively superficial script, Mardaani 2 stands as one of the most important films of 2019. The films have become synonymous with women’s issues seeing through the eyes of a no-nonsense female hero and we cannot wait for the next installment!

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