Hungama 2 Movie Review: Shilpa Shetty, Meezaan's film fails to recreate Priyadarshan magic

Priyadarshan's Hungama 2 is the continuation of his 2003 film of the same name. While it is mildly entertaining, it fails to recreate the laughter we expect from a Priyadarshan film.

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Hungama 2 Movie Review: Shilpa Shetty, Meezaan's film fails to recreate Priyadarshan magic
Hungama 2 stars Meezaan Jaffri and Shilpa Shetty in pivotal roles.

In 2003, Priyadarshan brought a bombshell of laughter to the screen with Hungama. Paresh Rawal's Radheshyam Tiwari and the confusion caused by the name Anjali set up the right pretext for an entertaining, slapstick comedy of errors. And that's what was expected of Hungama 2, if not more. However, the sequel, which in no true sense is a continuation of the 2003 classic, disappoints on many parameters. It creates a ruckus, and only sporadic laughter.

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With Hungama 2, Priyadarshan is making a comeback to the Hindi film industry after a break of almost eight years. The film stars Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Meezaan Jaffri, Paresh Rawal, Ashutosh Rana and Pranitha Subash, among others. Like its predecessor, the film promises to be a laugh riot, born out of confusion. However, it lacks in writing. We are welcomed by the trademark Priyadarshan style of cinema, but we missed the flow and fast-paced situational comedy. The magic of the director seems to appear in bits and pieces throughout the film.

Hungama 2 doesn't pick up from where the 2003 film left. It is a new film altogether, with its own ruckus in place. Shilpa Shetty's Anjali is not the central character, but supports Meezaan's Aakash in his life struggle. Ashutosh Rana plays Aakash's father, Kapoor, and once again delivers a spectacular performance. Paresh Rawal as Anjali's husband Tiwari struggles with a lack of trust and doubts his wife. Vaani, played by Pranitha Subash, is the cause of all the hungama in the film.

Watch the trailer of Hungama 2 here:

If you think the list of actors is over, then you are wrong. The film boasts of some of the biggest names in the Indian comedy scene. From Johny Lever and Rajpal Yadav to Manoj Joshi and Tiku Talsania, Hungama 2 has all the staple actors from every Priyadarshan film. At one point, Rajpal Yadav single-handedly manages to keep the film afloat with his impeccable comic timing when we lose all our hopes in this film. Johny Lever is clearly underutilised and we are still wondering why he was even part of the film in the first place. Talking about the lead characters, Paresh Rawal delivers what is expected of him, but there are no surprises. Shilpa Shetty is also satisfactory as the wife of a doubtful husband. But most of the time she appears as just a side character. Meezaan Jaffri brings energy to most of the scenes, while most of the time his animated and dramatic actions while performing compel us to question their need. Pranitha is subtle and doesn't leave any long-lasting impressions.

Shot in the scenic and beautiful Himachal Pradesh, Hungama 2 is definitely soothing to the eyes. However, it is stuck in the same formula Priyadarshan has been serving for many decades now. The film would have worked better for many if it was still the early 2000s. But since we have already crossed half of 2021, the film appears a lot slow for today's time.

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The music by Anu Malik is average. All the songs sound as if they were created for a South Indian film and have been dubbed in Hindi. Only Chura Ke Dil Mera 2.0 stands out, more so because of the original from Shilpa Shetty and Akshay Kumar's Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994). The new song is sung by Benny Dayal and Anu Malik's daughter Anmol Malik.

Watch Chura Ke Dil Mera here:

Hungama 2 is entertaining in parts, but that was not expected of Priyadarshan, who is known for making unforgettable comedies. The film appears to be stretched a lot and is filled with predictable and cliched dialogues. Having said that, it is still a watchable film for all the nostalgia it may bring to the true-blue Priyadarshan movie fans.

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