“If life is broken, then end it? Even if it can be joined, it can be piece-by-piece!” Vidyut Jammwal and Shivaleeka Oberoi’s Khuda Hafiz Chapter 2 Agni Pariksha opens with a strong message as she, being a gangrape victim, struggles to come out of her depression. Released in theaters on July 8, the film is a sequel to Khuda Hafiz which released on Disney+ Hotstar in 2020. In the second part too, action star Vidyut plays a common man, where he has to use his fists and fangs to save his loved ones (his wife in the first part and daughter in the second, both raped). That’s the dilemma that Khuda Hafiz 2 grapples with as Vidyut swings between being a martial arts expert and a desperate father in search of his daughter’s rapists. The actor completely sheds his commando skin and takes on the guise of an ordinary man facing an extraordinary crisis. However, the film drags on in the latter half.
In the first part, Khuda Hafiz 2 follows Shivleika’s character, Nargis, as she struggles to recover after a gang rape. Vidyut as Sameer goes out of his way to help his wife, and his love for her will melt your hearts. Things start to shine in the couple’s life when they adopt a daughter, Nandini (played by Riddhi Sharma). However, this is short-lived as the little girl is also gang-raped, and Vidyut goes on a mission to find the rapists.
The female-rescue trope has been a staple in cinema. Over time, princesses became teenage daughters and brave princes became fathers or husbands. Khuda Hafiz 2, directed by Farooq Kabir, is a modern version of the same. The story of the film is not new. We have seen the skeleton of this script before. In fact, it is almost identical to Khuda Hafiz 1. The story, though stretched, maintains a similar balance between the sub-plots. Some turns are well timed while others become predictable.
Looking at Vidyut’s filmography so far, the action has actually been cut short. Watching him fight is a sight to behold: packing punches, landing powerful kicks along his veins and throbbing face. Even though Vidyut confronts dozens of men at once, it doesn’t feel completely unbelievable. In the cinematic world, we’d probably still accept the protagonist pulling it all off bare-handed, but the fact that Vidyut is stabbing a man with broken scissors makes it all the more believable. The almost non-choreographed quality of the fight scenes brings some semblance of reality.
There are many intense moments in Khuda Hafiz 2. Vidyut beautifully conveys the mixed expressions of fear, hurt and anger. When someone tells him, “The girl brings bad luck, the boy adopts Karna”, Vidyut gives a look of disgust.
But the second half gets stretched only because it doesn’t give any foil to the first. There are only so many similar action sequences and chase sequences to keep the audience invested in a thriller where the ultimate goal is to find the daughter’s rapists.
This is Vidyut Jammwal’s most non-Vidyut Jammwal film till date! Vidyut Jammwal expresses the fear of a man who has lost his beloved. The terror that falls upon him when he calls his daughter is visible in his eyes and trembling body. Even when the initial jolt subsides, he still carries the nervousness with him.
It is a shame that Shivleika hardly gets any chance to open her mouth. The first time we meet Nargis, her husband silences her and we are left to enjoy her beauty. Shivlika gets only a few lines and nothing after that. She herself is a rape victim and is also battling the trauma of rape along with her daughter. There is no scene, however, that has a minute devoted to truly humanizing him. Sheeba Chaddha as Thakur ji will leave you goosebumps! We need more veteran actors like in films. Duration.
We loved this ‘new’ side of Vidyut Jammwal. Khuda Hafiz – literally means God be your patron – is not the most innovative script but it will still touch your heart. Walk with limited expectations and you will surely be entertained.
Watch the trailer here:
— the ending —