When Tiger Shroff debuted in the 2014 film Heropanti, audiences were introduced to a unique performer who took the art of dance and hand-to-hand combat to a new level. But could he really act?
Now with several more films behind him - some good, some not so good - Tiger Shroff brings a new depth and maturity to his role in Baaghi 2.
Baaghi 2 has no relation to the 2016 film Baaghi ("Rebel") except for featuring Tiger Shroff in the lead role. Just as Akshay Kumar has his suite of unrelated Khiladi films, it is likely that this is the beginning of a suite of Baaghi films for Shroff.
Shroff stars as Ronnie, a soldier on the front who receives an urgent call for help from his ex-fiance, Neha (Disha Patani). Now married to another man, Neha is distraught, depressed and desperate to find her kidnapped daughter Rhea. Ronnie comes to her aid and uncovers new sources and information. But he also discovers conflicting stories about Rhea. Despite the differing accounts and the difficult challenges to finding the truth, Ronnie continues the search for the missing girl.
While the first Baaghi film demonstrated Shroff's prowess as an action hero, Baaghi 2 takes Shroff's performance to a new level. The film is a Hindi remake of the 2016 Telugu film Kshanam, so the storyline offers Shroff some dramatic sequences that he embraces.
Of course, with Shroff as the central star of the film, this mystery thriller is full of action sequences. With lifelong training in Taekwondo and a gymnast's body, Shroff is primed for action.
Choreographer Ahmed Khan in the director's chair so many of the fight scenes are filmed like dance sequences, putting the physicality of our hero at center stage. Several scenes give a nod to fighting techniques seen in Baaghi (think shin-kicks) and sequences toward the end of the film may remind viewers of Sylvester Stallone's First Blood. As with most action films, there are the requisite gratuitous close-ups on our hero's muscular torso to remind us that he's worked hard for the money.
While Shroff's performance is commendable, we must also praise the choice of co-stars in Manoj Bajpayee as the chief of police, Randeep Hooda as "LSD", the unconventional inspector whose line of questioning often leaves his assistant Bosco in tears, and Deepak Dobriyal as a sympathetic sidekick of sorts, helping our hero uncover the truth.
Shroff is also known for his mad skills on the dance floor, so we are pleased to see him perform in one number in the film. Having said that, the performance did not adequately reflect the skills of Shroff. We also were a bit dismayed that there was no end credits dance performance. With a choreographer directing, it seems a bit odd that Shroff's skills were not leveraged further in this manner. Perhaps there was no time to put something together or perhaps Shroff's skills were too much for the choreographer to sufficiently leverage. Or perhaps it was the subject matter of the film. But it seems like an opportunity lost.
All in all, the Baaghi 2 storyline may be somewhat predictable with some dialogues unrealistic or forced, but the film combines action, mystery, and romance in an entertaining package.
The following playlist features trailers and making of videos for Baaghi 2.
Posters
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