NOW SHOWING: BILLA 2 (Tamil)
Directed by Chakri Toleti
Starring Ajith Kumar, Yog Japee, Sudhanshu Pandey, Vidyut Jamwal, Parvathy Omanakuttan, Bruna Abdullah, Ilavarasu, Manoj K Jayan
Duration 135 minutes
Rating 18
“ULTIMATE star” Ajith Kumar reprises his role as underworld kingpin David Billa in Billa 2. His earlier Billa (2007), directed by Visnuvardhan, was a hit and this prequel shows how he became a notorious mafia don.
The same story (originally inspired by Rajnikanth’s 1980 Billa and Amitabh Bachchan’s 1978 Don) was also made with Shah Rukh Khan as the hero in two movies, both of which were also huge hits.
In Billa 2, Billa is a war refugee from Sri Lanka who lands in Tamil Nadu.
In the refugee camp, Billa makes money running a smuggling business. He slowly begins to deal in drugs and then firearms. When he agrees to smuggle guns for European arms manufacturer (Vidyut Jamwal), he has to fight for his survival.
As expected, the film is full of violence and intrigue. As a diversion, you look forward to the songs (composed by Yuvan Shankar Rajah) which feature many beautiful girls, including Meenakshi Dixit and Brazilian model Gabriela
Bertante. You would want to rewatch those song sequences again and again as the picturisation and dancing are so good.
Part of the movie was filmed in Georgia in East Europe and in Goa. The fights, especially those using flick knives, are well-choreographed unlike the usual parang-wielding goondas (thugs) versus the hero scenes in Tamil movies.
The producers have spared no expense for the attention-grabbing action scenes.
Miss India Parvathy Omanakuttan and Bruna Abdullah (a Brazilian model and Bollywood actress as a gangster moll) don’t make much of an impression, unlike the effect Nayantara had in Billa.
The producers and director Chakri Toleti (of Unnaipol Oruvan-fame) made a mistake casting newcomers as heroines. We feel no emotional attachment or care what happens to them. The effect would have been different if they had been Asin, Anushka or even Nayantara. It is funny that the stylish Ajith doesn’t stay in our memory but the refugee from Sri Lanka wearing a lungi (sarong) does.
The sold-out counters at most cinemas over the weekend show Ajith’s star power. But some may expect more from an Ajith movie, not just one killing after another.
We hope his next, yet-to-be titled movie, directed by Visnuvardhan and co-starring Arya, Nayantara and Taapsee, will make the Ultimate Star shine brightly again.
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