May 1, 2025: Raid 2 Review: Justice may be blind, but in Raid 2, it also seems oddly convenient.
Following up a surprise hit like Raid is no easy feat. The original was taut, focused, and well-balanced—a David-vs-Goliath tale with teeth. Director Raj Kumar Gupta, returning after seven years, tries to recreate the magic. What he delivers instead is a slow-burning procedural that flickers brightly at first, only to fizzle out under its own weight.
Set in the politically volatile 1990s, Raid 2 picks up with Ajay Devgn’s Amay Patnaik, the upright income tax officer who gets transferred after a false bribery accusation. Landing in Bhoj, he locks horns with Dada Bhai, a charismatic local neta played by Riteish Deshmukh, in a classic battle of ideals versus influence.
To their credit, Devgn and Deshmukh carry the film on their shoulders. Ajay is solid as ever—stoic, intense, and comfortably settled into his no-nonsense persona. But it’s Riteish who surprises. Known for his comedic chops, he dives deep into the darker end of the spectrum, and emerges with a performance laced with quiet menace. You can see the simmer beneath the surface. Sadly, the script doesn’t give him enough fire to truly explode.
Raid 2 Review: Riteish’s Dark Turn Can’t Save This Slow-Burning Sequel
The first half of Raid 2 keeps you hooked, packed with strategic raids, red herrings, and some genuinely unpredictable turns. But the tension evaporates post-interval. Amay solves problems with laughable ease. Informants appear like plot-delivering genies. Raids succeed with barely any resistance. For a supposed thriller, there’s little thrill left.
Amit Sial, playing a sleazy officer, adds comic relief that feels both unnecessary and misplaced. Supriya Pathak, despite her strong presence, is underused. Vaani Kapoor’s character is more of a filler than a figure, making one wonder why she’s even in the film.
Gupta clearly wants to dig into the corruption-civil service-politics triangle, but the treatment is too formulaic. There are courtrooms, confrontations, and monologues that feel like déjà vu from a dozen similar dramas. The narrative lacks urgency, and the dialogues often play it safe, never cutting deep.
Even the return of Saurabh Shukla’s Tauji, a fan favourite from the original, feels forced and tonally inconsistent. His presence offers nostalgia, not narrative value.
The background score by Amit Trivedi (lifted partially from Raid) holds the film together during lulls. But aside from that, the music doesn’t leave a mark. Cinematography is competent, and the production design does justice to the 90s era. Still, visuals alone can’t compensate for undercooked storytelling.
Raid 2 is not a bad film—it’s just not a very good one either. It has moments of tension, strong performances, and an important message, but they get buried under predictable plotting and paper-thin conflict resolution.
There was a chance here to elevate a franchise into a powerful cinematic voice on systemic corruption. Instead, we get a film that raids familiar territory without offering enough new to seize.
If you’re a fan of Ajay Devgn or political thrillers, Raid 2 may hold your attention. Just don’t expect it to set your pulse racing.