Actor Mohanlal's recently-released movie Drishyam 2, a sequel to the 2013 cult hit Drishyam, has garnered a fair deal of attention as it marks the return of the iconic character Georgekutty. While the Jeethu Joseph-helmed thriller has enough masala to satisfy 'Lalettan' fans, it could have been better. Here are four changes had would have added a new dimension to the biggie.
More focus on Mohanlal's eyes
Mohanlal enjoys a strong fan following due to his ability to emote with his eyes. The veteran, for example, used his eyes quite well to convey his suspicions about Ajay Devgn's character in the Hindi film Company.
This aspect of his acting style is not utilised properly in Drishyam 2 as the camerawork does not really focus enough on his eyes. The film would have reached its potential had the makers taken that route allowing fans to relate with the character's dilemma.
A crisp first hour
Drishyam emerged as a big hit as the narrative had a sense of urgency with each moment building up to the stellar climax. Drishyam 2, on the other hand, has a screenplay that moves at its own pace with virtually nothing happening in the first hour. The focus appears to be on the family dynamics rather than on the 'immediate danger', something that dilutes its impact. Drishyam 2 needed a crisper first-half/ buildup to be as effective as the first part.
Less dependence on brand Drishyam
Balram V Tharadas was one of the most talked-about Malayalam movies of 2006 as it revolved around the clash between two iconic Mammootty characters, Inspector Balram and the smuggler Tharadas. The biggie, however, did not do as well as expected as it relied too heavily on the nostalgia surrounding characters and failed to give fans anything to root for.
Drishyam 2 too suffers from a similar problem despite belonging to a different genre. The scenes involving Asha Sarath and her disdain for Gorgekutty's family have a deja vu feel, indicating that the makers are trying to recreate the magic of the first part, The police investigation scenes too give a similar vibe. The narrative would have been more compelling had the film featured a 'current danger' in addition to the ghost from the past.
Less 'hero worship'
Drishyam had a high relatability factor as it revolved around the journey of an underdog while focussing more on the 'situation' rather than the character. Drishyam 2, however, falls into the 'hero worship' trap as Gorgekutty comes across as a bit too larger-than-life especially in the climax. This would not have been the case has the 'his game has started' track been toned down a bit.