Mathu Vadalara 2: A tale of madness, mystery, and mayhem

Release Date: 13/09/2024

Platform: Netflix

Runtime: 139 minutes

Cast: Sri Simha Koduri, Satya, Faria Abdullah, Sunil, Vennela Kishore 

Director: Ritesh Rana

Madness, Mystery, and Mayhem: “Mathu Vadalara 2” Is a Madcap Sequel That Delivers Enough Thrills and Laughs

“Mathu Vadalara”, was released in 2019 but never hit theaters in Assam. I watched it on recommendation and was instantaneously blown away by its characters, storytelling, style, pacing and humour. A film that starts off as a lighthearted comedy quickly transforms into an intense rollercoaster ride ripe with murder, shady characters, a drug racket, and dark humour resulting from the horrifying predicaments that the protagonists find themselves in. Director Ritesh Rana was successful in conjuring something that was a thriller, a hilarious comedy, and a stylish mad caper at the same time. It did have reminiscences of similar genre films but every ingredient in it was injected with such a lethal dose of steroids that it became a whole new beast that resembled nothing in recent memory.

The biggest challenge for Rana with “Mathu Vadalara 2” was always going to be reminding viewers of the best aspects of its predecessor while being a completely different experience with novelty in its storytelling techniques and uproarious situational comedy that derives its fun from the insane situations, and how the various characters react to it and verbalize it. It also needed twists and turns in the narrative that satisfy the fans of the original who enjoyed the thriller aspect of it more than anything else. Not so surprisingly, “Mathu Vadalara 2” has all these qualities and more, making it one of the best sequels of an already exceptional film.

The duo of Babu Mohan (Sri Simha Koduri) and Yesudasu (Satya) are back, and they have become successful operatives in a hilariously named anti-crime unit known as the High Emergency (HE) Squad. While the two have performed exceedingly well in their jobs, they still find their respective earnings insufficient to support their families and their needs in the way they would like. Frustrated, they turn to ripping off millionaires whose family members have been kidnapped by first nabbing the kidnappers, saving the abducted, and then pocketing a portion of the ransom money, reporting it as missing or damaged. Things look up for the duo until they respond to a call from an influential woman whose daughter has been kidnapped. Babu and Yesu see this kidnapping as their one final score to permanently solve their financial woes. Little do they know that there is a far more intricate and sinister game afoot.

Immersive And Unpredictable Plot:

No matter how stylish, funny, and racy a thriller might be, its primary task will always be to thrill and surprise. “Mathu Vadalara 2”, like its predecessor, nails this quality with its immersive plot, characterized by twists and turns that one cannot see coming. The pacing is a great help in sustaining the tension throughout, as the film never stops to take a breath. The story feels simple enough when it is resolved in the end, but when approached through the perspectives of Babu and Yesu, it feels nightmarishly convoluted, with very little idea of who the true villain at the root of all their suffering might be. Even though it is essentially a comic thriller with little attention paid to being subtle or remotely realistic, the story, the twists, and the stakes never feel completely unrelatable or unworthy of the amount of seriousness that the characters are shown paying to it or the immense chaos that results from it. This helps Rana further engross his audience and ensures that the thrills and twists have the necessary impact.

Comedy Woven into the Narrative and Characterized by a Barrage of Rip-Roaring One-Liners:

This was the case with Mathu Vadalara, and the same can be noticed here. The humour feels organic throughout, even though a large chunk of it is caricaturish. There are even some physical gags in the narrative, even though it was not strictly necessary. The characters talk fast and non-stop, and they say things that make very little sense. A lot of the comedy is derived from these nonsensical exchanges, thanks to how wonderfully they are rendered and the kind of confidence and impact with which they are delivered by the actors. However, one needs to experience these moments in its original language to enjoy it to the fullest. It is also a fact that many jokes and gags in the film are derived from popular cultural references of the state, which makes it more appealing for people who understand these references than for those who might have walked into this film with no idea of the state it originates from.

Performances from the Ensemble Cast Are Brilliant:

Nothing in “Mathu Vadalara 2” would have worked had the ensemble cast not been this great. Be it the returning members who already know their characters or the new additions, the performances are so engrossing and amusing that it is hard not to love each and every one of them. Yes, I mean the antagonists too. Simha and Satya do the heavy lifting in terms of the amount of time they spend on screen and the flurry of gags and comedic moments that they are expected to carry through. However, the humour is designed in such a way that most of the time, the duo has to play off other actors. Had the supporting cast not been just as efficient in reading their respective characters, these moments that are designed to propel the film would have fallen flat.

Sunil is exceptional as the duo's boss in the HE squad. As the story progresses, he gets funnier by the minute, with his comedy reaching its pinnacle in a chase sequence where he made me roll with laughter with just one expression to convey pain. Vennela Kishore yet again leaves his mark on a film where his role isn’t more than a few minutes. He will make you break into belly laughs in a scene where he argues with a minor over a role in a film. My only complaint is that Rana should have better utilized the comic timing and histrionics of Faria Abdullah, who ends up becoming just another side player in a crowd of side.

 Shot, Cut, and Scored with Style and Gusto:

It will be hard to find a film that was shot, edited, and scored with so much panache in recent times. Every foreseeable trick in terms of editing is used to enhance simplistic sequences. The cinematography complements the insanity unleashed in terms of the story, providing the editing department with the exact kind of setting to burst into imaginative transitions, visual wizardry, and creative cuts between sequences, even down to smaller shots. The average shot length of the film is likely only a few seconds, yet it doesn’t feel rushed, chaotic, or give that weird feeling that some Hollywood hyper-edited films can, where you feel nauseated. The background score adds a lot of character to specific sequences and elevates how you already feel about them. There are also instances where cuts are made in tandem with the score, adding to the mood and the flow of the visuals. Everything mentioned here about the film was something special about its predecessor, and the same quality is not only retained here but taken to the next level.

Final Words:

Mathu Vadalara 2 is more of what you might have loved in the first film, but it offers it all in a juicy new mystery involving characters whose stakes were triggered in the events of the first film. Everything is still amped up to a fever pitch and given just enough novelty and character of its own to merit being its own film in all respects. I had a wonderful time with this film, and I am confident that it will be the case for all those who choose not to take the film too seriously and immerse themselves in its madness, uncontrollable comedy, unpredictable twists, and unreliable characters.

Rating: 4/5 (4 out of 5 Stars)