- Date of Release: 02 December 2022
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Language: Telugu
- Watch On: Amazon Prime Video
Hit: The 2nd Case
Introduction
Onto the first Indian film review of 2023 and I happened to watch the new Telugu film yesterday titled HIT: The 2nd Case starring Adivi Sesh. Of late, there has been a fascination for creating universes which according to me is a great initiative provided it is not overdone. I had happed to watch HIT: The First Case(Telugu) and was absolutely blown by the storytelling which was fast paced and did provide no respite to the audience in terms of settling into the drama. Yes, the film did have editing issues but it was new age cinema catered to the audience who enjoy T20 cricket more than test cricket. The Hindi remake of the same film however did not work as well due to the performance of the supporting cast who did bring the film down to an extent. But still I had high hopes from Hit: The 2nd Case, one because it had Adivi Sesh in it who was previously riding on the success of Major and two, the film is directed by Sailesh Kolanu who had earlier directed the twin ‘Hit’ films in Hindi and Telugu. So then does HIT: The 2nd case manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
HIT: The 2nd Case follows the story of a cop who investigates the grizzly murders that have been taking place. Who is the culprit? The story here may not be novel but it is exciting with its twists and turns and moves at a breakneck pace. The screenplay standing at 124 minutes means that no time is wasted in the investigation resulting in a scintillating thriller that would always keep you on your toes.
I had a small issue with the drama that did unfold in the first 30 minutes. The entire prelude did give away a tad too much and I thought that that could have been held close to the chest for an even more layered screenplay. Also, the romantic track of the protagonist at the beginning did not really work for me although I wouldn’t say that all of it was irrelevant. The writers do well to link the subplots to the main plot. But once the first murder takes place, the film shifts gears and how!
The proceedings are exciting and engrossing. The screenplay may not have been as layered as the first part but I did enjoy the pacing here that did keep the viewers hooked and booked. There are twists and turns in the screenplay which are great, this as you continue to play the guessing game. Here I must say that the mystery element isn’t as strong as the first part in telugu(not hindi as the reason was changed that lead to the drama being a little more shallow), but the investigation in itself will not provide any respite to the viewers.
The proceedings move at a breakneck pace that will leave you gasping for breath! The writers need to be credited for the second hour because it is here that all the subplots are linked and the investigation paints a clearer picture. But one event leading to another does make for a compelling thriller although if you are a fan of whodunnits then the culprit and the motive should not be difficult to crack here. I had a minor issue with the way in which the culprit was revealed. It could have been a little more layered for sure. But the entire climax is well shot and makes for a satisfactory viewing. The franchise does drop a hint of the third part featuring Nani and that has already got me excited! So overall, the screenplay is fast paced and well written here!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are sharp and less melodramatic which was great to see in a ‘massy’ investigative thriller. The music is decent although one song just puts a break on the drama early on. The BGM is absolutely fire particularly in some thrilling moments during the investigation. The cinematography is excellent and captures the brutality of the crime brilliantly. Much has been said about the editing in the first part. Well, the editing is better here, at times allowing the audience to settle into a scene and not move on to the next(as seen in the first part). Director Sailesh Kolanu does yet again done a commendable job in providing a fast paced thriller which shall keep the viewers interested throughout. The direction was fabulous here.
Performances
The performances by the entire cast is outstanding. I just had one issue with the casting of the main culprit, not because he or she has done a bad job. That person is excellent but the issue was that he or she was a known face and so a way of elimination zeroing down to him or her was easy for me as a viewer(something that wasn’t the case in the first part). Nani shines in a cameo and he has got me excited for Hit 3. Suhas as Rajesh has his moments to shine. Maganti Srinath as Abhilash has his moments to shine. Komalee Prasad as Varsha is first rate and she has a good presence onscreen. Meenakshi Chaudhary as Aarya looks pretty and does a fabulous job here despite a limited screen time. I am an Adivi Sesh fan and he is simply outstanding here as KD. His style and mannerisms are infectious but he never goes overboard with the drama. He is well within his character and he delivers yet another knockout performance.
Conclusion
HIT: The 2nd Case is a fast paced whodunnit which shall keep you on your toes throughout. Available in a theatre near you!