The 'After Hrs' review: 'Jannat 2'

Film: Jannat 2
Director: Kunal Deshmukh
Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Randeep Hooda, Esha Gupta, Manish Chaudhary
Rating: ***

Though a sequel, the film is completely unrelated to the original and the only common thread is that here too, the hero takes the road to hell in search of his Jannat. So, Sonu Dilli (Emraan Hashmi) is a street-smart gun runner operating on the streets and bylanes of Delhi alongwith his partner in crime Balli, who’s nicknamed him KKC (Kutti Kameeni Cheez).

A small fish in the big pond, Sonu believes in the funda that men will anyway kill each other, so he’s only simplifying things by providing them guns and bringing equality in status. His cocky attitude, a cheeky sense of humour and gift of gab sees him get away in the trickiest of situations.

But then he’s hauled up by ACP Pratap Raghuvanshi (Randeep Hooda), a grief-stricken tough-as-nails cop, who’s on a personal revenge mission — to eliminate the local arms cartel and put an end to the illegal trading of guns — since he himself had lost his wife to a gun attack.

With a bullet lodged in his brain, when not trying death defying stunts in a drunken stupor just to feel ‘alive and awake’, he spends his nights dialling his home number, to hear his dead wife’s voice on the phone’s recorded message. Desperate for a key to break into the dealers ring, he wants Sonu to become that link. 

In a bid to get some info, Pratap slashes Sonu’s palm. But it’s a blessing in disguise for Sonu, as he meets Dr Jhanvi (Esha Gupta) in the hospital where he goes to get his wound treated.

It’s love at first sight for him, but not for Jhanvi. An independent girl, she wants to lead a simple, happy, but a clean life. Sonu decides to give up his past and start afresh and Pratap offers him just that — a happy life with Jhanvi, which is his heaven — but it’s not without a price. And Sonu realises that the road to redemption is through hell. 

Emraan is his usual camera-friendly self, but takes it further by attempting to be different in his Dilli avatar. The dilligiri may not work to the tee, but he makes Sonu an endearing character despite the fact that he’s actually a petty criminal. Randeep gives him equal takkar and his gritty and intense cop act proves to be a scene-stealer.

Easily one of his best performances after films like Once Upon a A Time in Mumbaai and Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster, Randeep proves that he’s a bankable actor.

An equally strong supporting cast including Manish Chaudhary, Brijendra Kala and Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, apart from crisp editing keeps you riveted. The story is not a wow, but doesn’t let your mind wander off either.

On the downside, the overdose of gaalis make even the hardened hearts squirm in their seats. Esha is strictly okay — looks good when required, goes through the dialogues too. She seems more like a model all through with a pout that’s already gotten her compared with the likes of Angelina Jolie. Now only if she showed an iota of the same talent too! The director is smart in shifting the focus away from her just in time before it can linger on her many flaws as an actor and moves on to the more reliable aspects.

The action chase sequences in the dargah and the climax have been brilliantly executed and are worth a mention. Also unlike most films, the second half is actually better than the first.

Kunal shows his tight grip on the film throughout and doesn’t let the film get either preachy nor light-hearted, balancing finely between the serious nature of the topic and entertainment. The music is in tandem with the film.

Emraan’s chemistry with his leading ladies has always been the talking point in all his films. But in this one, it’s clearly his chemistry with Randeep that steals the limelight and it’s this jugalbandi between the cop and the criminal that makes the film worth a one time watch for sure.