Gadar 2 Movie Review: Sunny Deol Shaines but the film struggles due to shallow characterisation

Tara Singh must illegally cross the border once again to save his son (Utkarsh Sharma) from the wrath of Pak General Hamid Iqbal (Manish Wadhwa). The latter holds a grudge against Tara for what he did in 1947.

Review: 22 years after the monumental success of "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha," which stirred the box office like a tsunami, director Anil Sharma presents a sequel that aims to recreate the potent mix of patriotism and familial love during wartime, while also championing the cause of secularism. The film presents a powerful message, declaring, "Hindustan Musalmanon ka hai, Christians ka hai, Sikhon ka hai, Hindustaniyon ka hai."

However, the sequel faces a significant challenge in terms of its premise. The emotional impact of the first film, driven by the tragic loss of lives and the brutal aftermath of the partition, deeply resonated with audiences. The cross-border love story and the tale of survival touched hearts due to their solid emotional core, even with the provocative dialogues. Unfortunately, the sequel struggles to evoke the same emotional response. "Gadar 2" attempts to capitalize on nostalgia, dramatic dialogue delivery, and slow-motion action scenes, but lacks a cohesive story or purpose to tie it all together.

Sakeena's father, Ashraf Ali (played by Amrish Puri), is no longer in the picture. Tara Singh, the main character, faces a new adversary in Hamid Iqbal, a Pakistani Army General who resorts to ruthless acts, including beheadings, to enforce loyalty to the Quran over the Bhagavad Gita. The setting is the looming war of 1971, with India's involvement in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), and Iqbal seeks revenge for the current situation and past events. He captures and tortures Tara's son in Pakistan. This compels Tara to reenact a similar mission to what he undertook in the past, this time for his son's sake. The romantic subplot involving the son's relationship with Muskaan (played by Simrat Kaur) in Pakistan feels irrelevant and unnecessary. The sequel comes across as an overstretched remake with a meandering plot that extends for over 2 hours and 45 minutes.

The film's saving grace lies in its music and the presence of Sunny Deol. A reprised version of the beautiful composition "Udd jaa Kaale Kaava," sung by Udit Narayan and composed by Mithoon, stands out as the highlight. It manages to evoke more emotions and nostalgia than the entire film combined. Sunny Deol's performance remains impactful, with his commanding presence and powerful dialogues. His character, Tara, is portrayed as a concerned father who wants his son, Charanjeet (played by Utkarsh Sharma), to receive an education to avoid a fate as a truck driver, and their father-son bond feels genuine. For fans of the original film, there's even a reenactment of the iconic hand pump scene.

Ameesha Patel's role is limited to waiting anxiously for the men in her life to return home, while Utkarsh Sharma, despite having some crucial scenes, lacks the screen presence needed for this action drama.

"Gadar 2" isn't poorly made, but it struggles due to the shallow characterisation that fails to evoke the intended emotions or sustain the audience's interest for an extended duration. Sunny Deol brings back his star power and the iconic roar, making it a treat for his fans.