OMG 2 Review: Akshay Kumar & Pankaj Tripathi tackle sex education effectively; Yami Gautam shines

Film:
OMG 2

Duration: 2 hours 36 minutes

Director: Amit Rai

Starcast: Akshay Kumar, Pankaj Tripathi, Yami Gautam & Pavan Malhotra

Platform: Theatres

OMG 2 Review

It was the year 2012 when Akshay Kumar’s OMG – Oh My God! released and raised several eyebrows. It was a satirical comedy-drama based on how blind faith in God will take us nowhere. Now after 11 years, the superstar is back with OMG 2 and well, it’s as promising. Starring Akshay along with Pankaj Tripathi, Yami Gautam, Pavan Malhotra and Arun Govil, the sequel is directed by Amit Rai. It talks about a very important issue that still very much exists in our society. OMG 2 is a story of a man’s fight for the right to education for his son.

Watch the trailer while reading OMG 2 Review

Storyline

OMG 2 is the story of Kanti Sharan Mudgal (Pankaj Tripathi), a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva; a simple man, a loving father and a caring husband. One day his son, Vivek, is blamed for immoral conduct and thrown out of school by the principal Atal Maheshwari (Arun Govil). Upon confrontation, Kanti realizes that his son has been a victim of misinformation and misguidance. Grief-struck and unable to handle the crisis, Kanti decides to leave the town with his family, until he has a divine intervention with Mahadev HarHar – the messenger of Lord Shiva (Akshay Kumar) – that steers him towards truth. Kanti then decides to take on everyone responsible by dragging them to court and fighting the case against Kamini Maheshwari (Yami Gautam) who represents her father-in-law Atal Maheshwari’s school.

How Kanti fights the long battle to normalize sex education in schools with the help of Mahadev is what makes OMG 2 a worthy watch. It not only takes us on an emotional journey but also sheds light on our faulty education system. It’s sad that India still tackles this problem. It’s still not very normal for schools to have sex education being taught, just like every other subject. What’s funny is that schools teach about the reproduction of animals but not human beings. It still is considered taboo in our society. But Akshay Kumar and Pankaj Tripathi’s courageous attempt at normalizing sex education is worth every watch. OMG 2 is bang on – it talks straight about why education on sex is important for children and makes an impact effectively and entertainingly.

Performances

Aapki baat mai baat hai isiliye aapki baat bhi honi chahiye – This is what Pankaj Tripathi is told in the film and this is exactly what I feel about this brilliant actor’s performance. Can he ever go wrong with his act? I don’t think so! Even in OMG 2, Pankaj as Kanti perfectly emotes every emotion of a father who is willing to go to any extent to protect his kids. Pankaj strongly carries the film on his shoulders. He proves himself yet again, reminding everyone what an excellent actor he is with this powerful performance. Shining bright despite a much smaller screen space is Akshay Kumar. His look as Lord Shiva’s messenger is perfect and it wouldn’t be wrong to call this his best performance in a really long time. AK talks, walks and steals the show as Lord Shiva’s messenger.

Yami Gautam is in her element as Kamini Maheshwari in OMG 2. She is a treat to watch. Her evil act will leave you with goosebumps in some court scenes. She is menacing as the opposition lawyer and gives tough competition to Pankaj. You might dislike her in some scenes – that’s how brilliantly she has played her part. Pavan Malhotra as Judge Purushottam Nagar is the surprise package in the movie. He plays a very important role and supports the social message. The entire supporting cast is bang-on in their performances.

Technical Aspect

Director Amit Rai has tackled the sensitive subject of sex education along with a religious backdrop very responsibly. The way the filmmaker has directed and written the film is commendable. He has made sure no religious sentiments are hurt while watching the film. Each and every portrayal is near-perfect, leaving no room for unnecessary judgments or objections. In fact, the film is much more than just having a mythological backdrop. It talks about a much bigger issue but in an entertaining manner. Cinematographer Amalendu Chaudhary has done good camera work. The courtroom sequences are shot impactfully. Suvir Nath’s editing could have been crispier. Music by Vikram Montrose, Hansraj Raghuwanshi, Djstrings, Pranaay and Sandesh Shandilya is divine and soulful. And oh, loved the little Gadar plug-in!

What’s great about the Amit Rai directorial

Powerful social message: The film rightly questions India’s faulty education system and raises some very valid points. It talks about why sex education is extremely important for kids and why it must be taught in school. OMG 2 leaves an impact without being in-your-face.

Intense courtroom drama: The courtroom drama between Yami and Pankaj is a treat to watch. It lacks pace in the beginning but soon picks up. The way Yami and Pankaj fight it out with sheer sarcasm in the court is worth a watch.

Religious backdrop: If you thought OMG 2 is just about mythology, then you’re wrong. It uses it as a mere backdrop and that’s exactly what works for the film.

Drawbacks of OMG 2

Dragged first-half: The first half feels unnecessarily dragged but the film catches speed in the second half. The climax is a winner.

Conclusion

If you’re looking forward to watching an entertaining film that also talks about a very important social message then OMG 2 is the right choice for you!

Also Read: Did you know Akshay Kumar spent a lot of time designing his look in OMG 2? Details inside