Film Review Satya 2

Underworld Revisited 

Film: Satya 2

Cast: Puneet Singh Ratn, Anaika Soti, Mahesh Thakur

Directed by: Ram Gopal Varma

Duration: 2 hrs 27 mins

Rating: * 1 / 2

With earlier hits like Shiva, Raat and Rangeela, when Satya was released in 1998, Ram Gopal Varma was on the top of the game although Daud had just flopped. Satya was a knockout – even though there was no star in the film, it certainly made Manoj Bajpayee into one and along with Kallu mama, Bhikhu Mhatre become a memorable character. With Company (2002), Varma proved that he was the master of films on the subject of the underworld.

Fifteen years later, RGV’s career has been sliding down rapidly and the brakes are not functioning either. In a vain attempt to regain the past glory, he is onto sequels now like Bhoot returns and Ab Tak Chappan (which he is the producer).

Satya 2 is pretty much a remake rather than a sequel of Satya because it uses the same template, even though no credit is given to Anurag Kashyap or Saurabh Shukla, writers of the original screenplay.

So Satya (Puneet Singh Ratn) is a small town man who comes to Mumbai with the aim of making it big. Although he looks innocent, he doesn’t mind indulging in activities that are immoral to climb up the ladder. He wants to form a ‘company’ and rule the city except that this company will be anonymous. Mahesh Thakur plays the businessman who gives him his first contract and to add some glamour, Satya’s girlfriend from his village joins him although she is blissfully unaware about what he actually does.

What worked in 1998 doesn’t work today, the characterization draws a zilch and so does the story. There is plenty of unnecessary violence including a scene where a victim uses a drill machine on the rapist’s crotch. Ouch.

The only thing remarkable is some of the eagle eye shots at the beginning which remind you of that astonishing long take in I am Cuba (1964).Almost all the actors are newcomers and it shows. Varma could have well re-released Satya, this film is a completely pointless exercise.

(Published in The Navhind Times on 10th Nov 2013)

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