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Raman Raghav 2.0 – Movie review

A fictionalized version of the pyschopath killer of the 60s

  


Raman Raghav 2.0, movie review

Nawazuddin Siddiqui stands out in this dark Psychological Thriller with his brilliant portrayal of the psychotic killer of 1960s-70s.

It is generally said that evil exists in each individual on this earth with the percentage of wickedness varying from almost zero to maximum in rarest of the people.

This story is inspired by the notorious serial killer Raman Raghav (an individual) and a fictionalized version of the depiction of the gory, cold blooded murders he committed.

Set in present day Mumbai Raman Raghav 2.0 is a fictionalised version of the life of a serial killer Ramanna who is inspired by an infamous serial killer from the 1960s Raman Raghav.

Its different this time, as Ramanna (Nawazuddin) has a strange obsession with Raghavan (Vicky Kaushal), a young Cop and the bond keeps growing as he closely follows him without his knowledge and often creates situations where both of them come face to face.

Ramanna uses a regular steel rod to reduce human faces to severed heads and broken skulls. He is shown as a rational human loitering around Mumbai’s underbelly – slums, where he is on the prowl for his next victim.

Such is the detail and simplicity of the character that in one particular scene, when he loosely holds the steel rod (with a bend) and while on his regular walks, he is shown losing his mind on a stray dog, which craftily escapes the psycho’s wrath.

Ramanna then shows up at the Police Station confessing having committed 9 murders. He is so true and simple for the cops to believe his statement. They dismiss him as a person looking for a shelter and two meals a day if kept in captivity.

So the cops take him to a secluded building in ruins and thrash him royally and finally lock him in a vacant room for days. A noteworthy sequence here is when some kids release him the expressions and explanation given by him “of being locked without food and water and just a cigarette and no match to light it”.

Ramanna is equally witty and bold to have spotted a Cop commit a crime and follow him whereever he goes and then expoliting the wrong doings of Raghavan.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the slimy, cool and cunning Ramanna is superb. Vicky Kaushal (his third film) brilliantly succeeds in matching the psychopath’s character. Sobhita Dhulipala shines in her performance.

Anurag Kashyap ought to be congratulated with his unique, honest and compelling storytelling. It is definitely not recommended for the weak hearted or the ‘family type’ audience.

3 stars and half extra for the performances. 3.5 stars
Click on the Thumbnails for ENLARGED PICS:

Cast:
Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Ramanna (the psycho killer)
Vicky Kaushal as Raghavan (the Cop)
Sobhita Dhulipala as Raghavan’s girlfriend
Amruta Subhash as Ramanna’s sister
Ashok Lokhande as Ramanna’s brother in law
Vipin Sharma as Raghavan’s father

Credits:
Production Company – Phantom Films
Directed by Anurag Kashyap
Produced by Anurag Kashyap, Vikas Bahl,Vikramaditya Motwane, Madhu Mantena
Written by Anurag Kashyap, Vasan Bala
Music by Ram Sampath
Cinematography – Jay Oza
Edited by Aarti Bajaj
Distributed by Reliance Entertainment
Raman Raghav 2.0, movie review