De De Pyaar De 2 Movie Review: Ajay Devgn, Rakul Preet Singh cook laugh-riot sequel with Luv Ranjan, but R Madhavan steals the show, Meezaan Jafri breaks his jinx

Director: Luv Ranjan

Star cast: Ajay Devgn, Rakul Preet Singh, R Madhavan, Jaaved Jaaferi, Meezaan Jafri

Runtime: 147 mins

Where to watch: In cinemas

Rating: 4 stars 

Following the events of De De Pyaar De, the sequel takes the story of Ashish 'Ashu' Mehra (Ajay Devgn) and Ayesha Khurana (Rakul Preet Singh) to the next level. Ashu and Ayesha's love is now turning into a wedding. But before that, Ashu has to win the trust of Ayesha's parents, Rajji Khurana (R Madhavan) and Mrs Khurana (Gautami Kapoor), who are hardly a few years older than Ashish. Rajji is completely against Ashish-Ayesha, and he hatches a plan to break their bond. What follows is an unexpected laugh-riot rollercoaster that keeps you thoroughly entertained. 

Sequels in Bollywood are no longer a safe bet at the box office. Gone were those days when even a mediocre product would have a decent run. The recent comedies, especially the sequels, were highly disappointing (read: Son of Sardaar 2, Kya Kool Hai Hum 3, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se). However, thankfully, DDPD 2 is a sweet exception that exceeds expectations and delivers an entertaining ride that stays with you even after the film ends. 

After a quick recap of the prequel, DDPD 2 gets serious in delivering laughs from the word GO. NRI Ashu prepares to travel back to India again, but this time to meet and convince Ayesha's parents. Mr and Mrs Rajji are 'modern people' who aren't affected by Ashu's past divorce or his status as a father of two kids. However, their feelings go for a toss after they met Ashish, a man who's just a year younger than them. Rajji and his wife suddenly turn into orthodox parents, and it leads to a war between father and daughter. As the movie progresses, Rajji and Ashish come to loggerheads, and Rajji makes sure that his little princess doesn't marry an 'uncle'. Rajji brings Ayesha's childhood friend, Sameer Khurrana (Meezaan), and tries to act as cupid between them. Will Rajji be successful in breaking Ayesha and Ashish's bond? Will Ashish accept the abnormality in their bond? Will he be okay to let Ayesha go to Sameer? All these answers lie in the film. 

First things first, DDPD 2 is an improvement over the previous part in several departments. The situations are more hilarious, the confrontations are awkward but entertaining. The dialogues, along with seamless inclusion of pop-culture references will make you ROFL. Trust Luv Ranjan;  he will deliver a better sequel. After Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, DDPD 2 is another sequel, where the writer-director didn't take the audience for granted and offered a better product. The first half of the film is quick, to the point, and loaded with gags. Even an unexpected emotional scene between R Madhavan and Rakul will leave you surprised and emotional at the same time. The second half gets meatier, funnier, and more melodramatic. The film's biggest strength is the final 20 minutes. 

Speaking about the performances, Ajay Devgn makes an impressive comeback in the comedy genre. He's subtly loud in funny scenes, and it fits his persona. However, he excels in the dramatic moments as well. R Madhavan, the man, the scene-stealer. It's such a delight to see him doing a comedy film. He had the best moments with Ajay, and his chemistry with Rakul stands out. It's okay to call DDPD 2, the reverse Shaitaan, as Ajay now aspires to snatch Madhavan's daughter. Rakul Preet Singh is sweet, hot, sexy, and, a bit loud. Yes, at times, she says her lines as if she's auditioning for a Sunny Deol's film. However, you can't take your eyes from her jaw-dropping looks, and her impressive acting chops make Rakul a lethal combo. Jaaved Jaffrey as Ashish's friend, Ronak, is outstanding. Despite being a supporting lead, he brings the house down with his lines. 

Meezaan Jafri, Jr Jaaved, has finally broken his jinx, and it seems Luv Ranjan will be his lucky charm. Meezaan showed a great improvement in comic timing and delivers a fine act. Although Meezaan appears in the second half, he brings a great momentum in the narrative. Apart from them, Gautami Kapoor and Ishita Dutta were fine in their limited roles, but it's Gautami who made Rajji more impactful. Ishita was almost good, but sadly gets overshadowed by others. 

The film's biggest strengths are its funny situations and clever writing, with the seamless pop-culture mentions. Ajay took some jibes at him, and those were the highlights of the films. However, there are some faults as well. The second half loses its steam for the 15-20 minutes. You might think Ashish and Ayesha's love story is boring. The songs are good, but don't register with you, except Honey Singh's Jhoom Sharabi. The films looked a little messed up after the interval, and the one major twist at the end does seem a bit predictable. Overall, De De Pyaar De 2 is a must-watch- a glorious return of comedy to the big screen. Despite a few minor flaws, DDPD 2 will keep you entertained throughout. PS. Brace yourself: the movie ends with a major hint for the sequel, and its basic concept is more funnier than DDPD 2.