Viduthalai Part 2 Review & Rating: 3/5
Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Soori, Manju Warrier, Gautham Menon, Anurag Kashyap, and others
Director: Vetrimaaran
Producers: Elred Kumar, Rama Rao Chintapalli
Music Director: Maestro Ilaiyaraaja
Review of Vidudala Part 2: The much-awaited sequel Vidudala Part 2, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Vetrimaaran, featuring Vijay Sethupathi, Soori, and Manju Warrier in lead roles, has now hit Telugu screens. Let’s dive into the review to see how it fares.
Story:
The sequel picks up from where Vidudala Part 1 left off, focusing on Perumal (Vijay Sethupathi), also known as “Kuruvaan,” who has been captured by the police. The narrative explores whether Kumaresan (Soori), instrumental in catching Perumal, gets rewarded for his role.
The film delves into Perumal’s backstory: Who is he? Why does he fight for the oppressed and marginalized? What events shaped his life? Alongside, it explores how Kumaresan evolves throughout this journey. The answers to these questions form the core of the story.
Positives:
Vijay Sethupathi’s Performance: Sethupathi completely owns his role, portraying the transformation of a simple youth into a revolutionary leader with great depth and conviction. His character is gradually built with impactful scenes, making it the film’s strongest aspect.
Supporting Performances: Manju Warrier impresses in her role, while Soori and Gautham Menon deliver commendable performances in the screen time they’re given. Other actors like Chetan also make a mark with natural acting.
Emotional Impact: The first half features several gripping and engaging moments. The exploration of Perumal’s struggles and the hard-hitting climax add emotional weight to the film.
Realistic Narration: The sequel effectively ties up some unanswered questions from Part 1. The way Vetrimaaran connects incidents to the characters’ emotions and societal challenges stands out.
Negatives::
Slow Pacing in the Second Half: Despite an engaging setup, the film loses momentum in the second half, with many scenes feeling unnecessarily stretched.
Underutilized Characters: While Sethupathi dominates the narrative, Soori’s role is less significant than expected. Similarly, Manju Warrier’s character feels sidelined after a point.
Limited Appeal: The film’s dialogues and revolutionary themes may not resonate with all audiences, especially younger generations. Anurag Kashyap’s role as a Hindi actor-director also feels underdeveloped.
Editing Issues: The editing, particularly in the second half, could have been tighter. Several scenes could have been trimmed to avoid the drag.
Technical Aspects:
Ilaiyaraaja’s background score enhances certain scenes effectively, though the music is not extraordinary. R. Velraj’s cinematography captures the period setting well, adding authenticity to the visuals. The production values are decent, but the VFX work feels subpar in some instances. Vetrimaaran delivers a decent narrative, particularly in Sethupathi’s character arc. However, the lack of depth in the screenplay, especially in the latter half, makes the overall impact underwhelming.
Verdict:
Overall, Vidudala Part 2 is a one-man show by Vijay Sethupathi. While his exceptional performance and a few intense moments hold the audience’s attention, the film falters in pacing and execution, especially in the second half. Fans of Sethupathi may enjoy the movie for his portrayal, but as a sequel, it falls short of the expectations set by Part 1.