Trying to create a sequel or prequel to any established movie in a different way is a tough task to accomplish. Director Chakri Toleti and his team took that risk and unfortunately the treatment was not enough to satisfy the viewer. The amount of bloodshed was too much that at no point the viewer could feel sorry for the makers for giving Billa’s history an A certificate.
Even though the title is numbered as a sequel, the movie is a prequel that shows the audience how a migrant David Billa became the untouchable Don Billa. While others chose to do normal labor to earn a living, Billa and his friend chose to take the hard and tough shortcut of money making, smuggling. By undertaking serious levels of smuggling, Billa becomes the trust worthy of many. Just like all don movies, as he grew stronger, backstage operations and backstabs are being planned to cut him down. In his journey to kingdom he meets many people. Koti, an aid of an Indian drug dealer Abbasi and Dimitri, an international arms smuggler who wished to transport his arms through India to various places with the help of Abbasi. With timely entry on occasions of trouble, Billa gains the trust of both Abbasi and Dimitri. But the fear of losing his power makes Abbasi move against Billa and the demand for a better remuneration makes Dimitry join the same league. With personal loses coming in the way, Billa decides to take revenge on his ultimate enemy Dimitry.
Just as I narrated above, the film does not have much to claim as a super suspense element. Almost all the scenarios are familiar through many gangster movies. The female protagonists played by Paravathy Omanakuttan and Bruna are never really used. The character Jasmine of Parvathy is merely there to just show the audience that there is a nice human there inside billa. Sameera of Bruna is a cliché character. Other than some Bikini skin shows there is nothing there for her to do.
On screen, Ajith has done a really cool job as Billa. The kind of character modeling intended by the director was successfully conceived and presented by him. Sudhanshu Pandey impresses the audience in his Abbasi avatar. Manoj K Jayan did his part neatly as Koti. In my view, Vidyut Jamwal was not really used to his best as Dimitry. The casting of him can be given some applauds. Bruna is there for skin show. Parvathy disappoints with a below average performance.
Technically, Chakri’s effort is brave, but Billa brand is something that should be stylish and cunning. But the history narrated by Chakri and his team is too realistic, brutal and most importantly it is very much direct. The smartness of the character is limited to four or five charming dialogs. The screenplay is too slow at times. Cinematography is good. Editing is just about satisfactory. I felt the sound design of the movie as an impressive one. Fights could have been a little less brutal. Music is not up to the normal Yuvan level. The inclusion of animation to show the growth of Billa was an impressive one. The much hyped Helicopter shot was conceived in an unsatisfying way.
Overall, Billa 2 is a treatment error from the makers. This recipe lacks salt and has too much pepper. For those who can never accept one man show stylish movies, this one could well be a good movie. Acknowledging the effort to make a movie in a fresh way, I am giving 2.5/5. My thumbs are down because the don deserves a much better history.
Billa 2 is a treatment error from the makers. This recipe lacks salt and has too much pepper.
Green: Recommended Content
Orange: The In-Between Ones
Red: Not Recommended
