Judwaa 2 is exactly what you expect it to be – an unremarkable repetition of the 90’s original. The plot, a term utilized generously, consists of twin brothers Prem and Raja who are separated at birth when Raja is kidnapped and later abandoned on a railway track by the villain, Charles. In the aftermath of their separation, Raja grows up in Mumbai while Prem lives a sheltered life with his parents in London. Charles is in jail thanks to the twins’ father but he swears upon revenge. Fast forward 18 years, the twins have grown up and are characteristically distinct.
Raja is courageous and confident and doesn’t shy away from a fight while Prem is accustomed to a cushy albeit under-confident existence. Raja’s entry in the film is whistle-worthy, and the introductory song “Ganpati Bapa Morya’’ emphasizes on Varun Dhawan’s lucrative dance moves, and playful grins. That in itself is the highlight of this film- how a movie with a weak script and over- simplified direction doesn’t bring down Dhawan’s easy going charm and a persona that is an amalgamation of Salman Khan and Govinda in the right proportions. Varun makes the film entertaining as his comic timing juggles the watered down renditions of whatsapp joke forwards. However no part of the actor’s talents comes close to justifying certain exceptionally problematic scenes that the director attempts to disguise as comedy. The twins suffer from a peculiar problem where whenever they are in close proximity, what ever movement one brother does, is involuntarily copied by the other one.
A controversial instance is when Raja kisses Alishka (Jaqueline Fernandez), Prem involuntarily kisses Samaira (Taapsee Pannu) and later Samaira’s middle-aged mother. In the moment, Samaira is infuriated and kicks him out of the house but a few scenes and songs later, they’re happily together. It is this part of the film that highlights the blatant disregard for consent as a humorous accident and not as a gross violation. Another issue is how one of the focal points of humor in the movie are centered on a particular character, Nandu’s lisp (Rajpal Yadav). It is shameful to see that even in 2017 disabilities are mocked in mainstream bollywood. Beside this a string less insensitive, light-hearted jokes make the movie a no- brainer but an easy laugh.
The actresses perform well in their limited roles and add significantly to the glamour quotient. A key element to the story is when Raja beats up Alex (Vivan Bhatena) who – plot twists- turns out to be the son of the evil Charles. He loses his memory and comes to London for his treatment where he bumps into Raja again and the story picks up. The long awaited integration of the entire family is a delight to watch, as is Anupam Kher’s amusing character as Alishka’s father. The star cast of the film saves a mediocre script with their acting skills.
Judwaa 2 also boasts of some interesting action sequences when the evil Charles locks up Raja and the weak Prem is left to defend himself and his family. Here the twins make good use of their rare involuntary movement situation, and as Raja punches and kicks, Prem is able to beat up the gangsters. The predictable happy ending has two happy couples, a family reunion and freedom from the villains. The movie ends on an iconic note with a cameo by Salman Khan as he dances with Varun Dhawan on the catchy tune of “Chalti hai kya nau se gyara’’. All in all, this movie is a easy to watch entertainer for an audience that just wants a few laughs.