Kamal Haasan returned as vigilante Senapathy this Friday 28 years after the release of his landmark action drama Indian, but Indian 2 hasn’t quite lived up to the hype and anticipation. Shankar, who has directed both films, struggles to recreate the magic he had weaved in the 1996 film.

Indian addressed contemporary social issues head on and in a way that resonated with people beyond its entertainment quotient. Indian 2 follows in its footsteps by spotlighting issues like corruption in educational institutions, government officials taking bribes, billionaires who’ve escaped the country after duping people of their money and the granite mafia. But the villains are one-dimensional caricatures, the treatment seems skin-deep and the commentary lacks the conviction that defined the original.

Moreover, there have been a few films since, revolving around vigilantes fighting corruption — Shankar’s Shivaji: The Boss (2007) starring Rajinikanth, and Atlee’s Jawan (2023) starring Shah Rukh Khan, to name a few. If Indian 2 had to make a mark, it needed to up its game.

Senapathy sets out on a two-way mission

In Indian 2, ex-freedom fighter-turned-vigilante Senapathy — Kamal Haasan reprising his role — has aged considerably. He moves back to India from Taipei where he’s been living in exile to help a young activist, Chitra Aravindan (Siddharth), who exposes corruption through online videos.

Chitra and his friends run a YouTube channel called Barking Dogs, where they post political satires. When the team discovers that their videos have had very little impact on people despite hundreds of thousands of views, they launch a campaign called #ComeBackIndian as they believe only Senapathy aka Indian can eradicate corruption from the country.

As the campaign gains traction on social media, Senapathy surfaces. He targets corrupt individuals not just in Tamil Nadu but across the country in the most unconventional way. While he wages a battle against corruption following Netaji’s ideals, Senapathy encourages his online fans to adopt Gandhian principles and expose corrupt individuals in their own families. This is Senapathy’s two-pronged approach to weeding out corruption.

However, Senapathy is a wanted man in India for several murders he had committed in the past. CBI officer Pramod Krishnaswamy (Simha), the son of Inspector Krishnaswamy (Nedumudi Venu) from the 1996 movie, launches a manhunt but Senapathy remains unfazed in his mission.

Kamal Haasan is let down by the script

Kamal Haasan delivers a committed performance, channelling the weariness and simmering rage of an ageing warrior. But Senapathy of this film comes across as a shadow of his former self, his actions less impactful and his agenda less clear. The situations he finds himself in are comical at times.

For instance, Senapathy attacks a corrupt businessman from Gujarat who lives in a house of gold (quite literally). As Senapathy strikes him a blow, he starts behaving like a horse until he dies. Another corrupt Punjabi businessman meets his demise while spitting saliva in an anti-gravity room. If you think that’s absurd, imagine Senapathy’s entry sequence where he punches Gulshan Grover (who plays a fugitive billionaire) and his body language starts to resemble a woman’s. These scenes are not only a stretch but absurd too.

Action and music: Style over substance

Filmmaker Shankar has always been known for his grand visuals and action set pieces. Indian 2 is no exception; there are elaborate stunts and meticulously choreographed fight sequences. Yet the action feels excessive at times, overwhelming the narrative and overshadowing the emotional core of the story.

The soundtrack composed by Anirudh Ravichander is quite forgettable. Songs, like Calendar, could be dropped without affecting the story. In contrast, some of the background music pieces from the original film, composed by A.R. Rahman, evoke a sense of nostalgia.

Indian 3 preview in the end: Glimmer of hope

Shankar has provided a teaser for the upcoming instalment, Indian 3, right before the end credits of the movie. This preview has Kamal Haasan as a young Senapathy in the British era, and features Kajal Aggarwal doing stunts. The forthcoming chapter is officially named Indian 3 – War Mode, with a release scheduled for 2025. Hopefully, the third chapter in this saga will redeem the franchise.