Khichdi 2 Movie Review: Partially Hilarious But Excessively Over-The-Top, Diminishing Its Original Charm
Their task is to abduct the emperor, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Praful Parekh, portrayed by Rajeev Mehta.
The eccentric Parekh family returns to the big screen with their trademark shenanigans in the latest installment of director Aatish Kapadia's popular franchise. The film centers around the Thodi Intelligent Agency (TIA) agent, Kaushal, played by Anant Vidhaat, who assigns the Parekh family a covert mission to the fictional and joyless country of Paanthukistan. Their task is to abduct the emperor, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Praful Parekh, portrayed by Rajeev Mehta.
True to the franchise's style, the movie delivers a dose of scatterbrained characters making a comical mess of the situation. It maintains the elements that have endeared the television and movie series to audiences, including hilarious one-liners and the whimsical interpretations of English words by Praful and his wife Hansa (Supriya Pathak). Himanshu (JD Majethia) adds to the chaos with his foolishness. The campy humor is likely to resonate more with viewers familiar with the characters and the context of their madness.
As a standalone film, it succeeds in being rib-tickling, thanks to the quirky characters and their goofiness. The performances of the cast, including Supriya Pathak, Anang Desai, Vandana Pathak, and JD Majethia, are a highlight. The actors effortlessly maintain their comic timing and interactions, making the return to the big screen after 2010 seamless. Rajeev Mehta handles the dual role of Praful and the emperor with finesse.
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However, the narrative takes a turn for the absurd once the family reaches Paanthukistan. The situations and characters become over the top, with citizens having unimaginative names like Gulkandadevi, Zarda, Tambaku, and others. Some sequences and characters feel unnecessary, contributing to a sense of forced humor. The second half, post-interval, appears shakier, and the comedy loses some of its charm. While the initial slapstick humor works well, the later part becomes increasingly bizarre.
Kirti Kulhari's track, though limited, doesn't significantly contribute to the storyline, adding unnecessary length. Kiku Sharda's appearance as a world-destroying robot is prolonged and elicits only a few laughs. Chirantan Bhatt's music doesn't stand out and disrupts the narrative flow.
In an attempt to scale up the movie, the filmmakers falter in terms of story and screenplay. Despite these shortcomings, the performances and nonsensical capers ensure frequent laughter. Fans of the franchise, in particular, may find enjoyment in this installment.
