The hype is real. When I booked my tickets on BookMyShow for the 4.50 pm show at Cinepolis Thane — the earliest show in Mumbai — seats were filling up fast! I was relieved to secure a plush seat for Rs 440.

On Wednesday, two hours before the show, I received a message stating the show was cancelled, and the amount had been refunded. The next few minutes were utter chaos. BookMyShow wouldn’t proceed beyond ‘seat selection’ feature, and the PVR app kept crashing every few seconds. At 3 pm, I ended up booking a corner seat for a 5.15 show for Rs 600 plus taxes.

The theatre was packed with staff members standing in the passage to catch a glimpse of one of the most-awaited films of the year.

Director Aditya Dhar’s sequel Dhurandhar The Revenge is a fictional spy thriller.

Starring Ranveer Singh as Jaskirat Singh Rangi aka Hamza, Dhurandhar 2 draws inspiration from real life personalities and events, including the 2016 Indian demonetisation, the 2016 Uri surgical strike, and references to the 1971 War.

The first half of Dhurandhar 2 traces Jaskirat’s journey and the rigorous training he undergoes to become the dreaded Hamza. When his father was killed over a land dispute, and his sister gang-raped, Jaskirat avenges the crime by killing 12 of those responsible, and earning a death sentence.

Later, he is picked by Sanyal’s team (R Madhavan) and deployed to infiltrate Pakistan’s Lyari gang. After Rehman’s death, Hamza convinces Uzair Baloch (Danish Pandor) to seek revenge from Arshad Pappu and his gang, leading to a gory gang war funded by the Pakistan government.

With Arshad Pappu out of the way, Hamza plots to trap Uzair and ends up as the undisputed king of Lyari and Karachi. The interval cuts off at a crucial point where the plot thickens and Hamza’s secret identity is compromised.

One of the highlights of Dhurandhar was the hype around Bade Saab, considered to be the mastermind behind all terrorist activities, including the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. When Hamza is invited by Major Iqbal (Arjun Rampal) to meet Bade Saab, you can feel the excitement build up inside you.

Although we all know who it is going to be deep down, the on-screen reveal is worth the hype. Hamza imagines meeting a roaring tiger but sees a balding, bedridden man, identified as Dawood Ibrahim (the makers have used his real image).

Even as he is giving out instructions about the next attack, Hamza stands dumbstruck, part fear, part disbelief. The terror in Hamza’s eyes feels real because in that moment, he realises that he is now a part of the inner circle.

And no, we’re not telling you who plays Dawood Ibrahim 🙂

If Part 1 gave us a teaser into the gore and violence, the sequel leaves no stone unturned. You don’t just see guns and grenades, the actors use every possible tool — sharp or blunted — they can lay their hands on to turn human bodies into a bloody mess.

Aditya Dhar doesn’t flinch in turning Dhurandhar into a battlefield that is celebrated for its gory action.

Needles and knives plunged into eyes, shutters slammed down on people’s necks…everything you can possibly imagine is executed with grotesque creativity.

Every time a Pakistani member’s head was smashed, the audience would clap or chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai!’ A few women like me did bury their heads or try to look away, but the torture didn’t end so soon.

Ranveer Singh has outdone himself in this sequel, displaying a quiet but gradual transition from a loving son and brother, full of dreams, to a hopeless prisoner convicted for protecting his family.Ahead of his deployment, when a distraught Jaskirat excuses himself from the covert mission and asks Sanyal ‘aur badle me ye desh ne kya kiya?‘ Aditya falters for the first time because he has nothing credible to offer. Yet, Sanyal ends up deceiving Jaskirat with the usual ‘mard‘ and ‘balidaan‘ pep talk to protect the country.

As for the performances, Sanjay Dutt as SP Dutta and Rakesh Bedi as Jameel Jamali attempt to bring in a rare dose of humour even in grim situations.

Arjun Rampal is spectacular as Major Iqbal. The man deserved a little more intelligence in his personality, I thought.

Gaurav Gera contributes a memorable performance once again.                                                                                                                        The best parts about Dhurandhar The Revenge

What makes Dhurandhar 2 most interesting is the strategic positioning and execution of plot twists. A round of applause for the patience and detail in the storytelling.

Revealing the spoilers here would certainly rob you of the experience. Even in the final moments when you think the film is over, Aditya Dhar surprises you with a backstory. Simply amazing!

If I were to ignore the politics, the factual inconsistencies, and the gore, I must admit I haven’t had this much fun watching a story unfold in layers — I found myself Googling the people and events referenced in the film even as I was still recovering from the intensity of the reveal.

Just like in the prequel, the carefully curated retro soundtrack, including the evergreen Rasputin, ensures that the visual experience is equally immersive and electrifying.

Some of the dialogues, especially ‘Ghayal ho isiliye ghatak ho‘ is already trending among audiences. The vulgarity of abuses continues, but it’s nothing you haven’t heard or experienced before.

And yes, this time, Hamza gets a Balochi welcome with a rhythmic dance and crazy stunts. Will it be as popular as the Arabic rap FA9LA for Rehman Dakait? Only time will tell.

For those asking, Yami Gautam does make a guest appearance under the name Shazia Bano.

Speaking of performances and guest appearances, guess who gets the maximum applause and standing ovation? The unpaid actor of the film, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech defending demonetisation and surgical strikes, acts as a masterstroke in this film.

Maybe I misread the word ‘fictional’ in the film’s disclaimer.

Though Dhurandhar The Revenge seals the ends, Aditya does hint at the possibility of a Dhurandhar Final Chapter. So do not leave the theatres till you watch the post-credit scenes.

If you are willing to spare four hours of your day on a spy action thriller, this is a film that will surprise, shock and overwhelm you with its nervous energy. Despite its A rating and extremely violent portrayal of events, there is nothing that will stop this film from becoming one of the biggest blockbusters of the year.                                       GLOBAL MOVIE     Rating: