Several factors are working against “Dhadak 2,” Shazia Iqbal’s directorial debut, which is an official remake of Mari Selvraj’s landmark film, “Pariyerum Perumal.” For one, a movie about caste-based discrimination, violence, and erasure of identity is labelled as a spiritual sequel of a major Studio-based franchise – as if they are trying to present this story out of guilt – but the economics of it all isn’t allowing them to label a story about identity to have an identity of its own.
Secondly, it comes with a set of prejudices that, like the 2018 film “Dhadak,” which glosses over the thematically richer narrative of “Sairat,” this adaptation would water down the original for unearned shock value. Thirdly, the relentlessness of the CBFC has constantly stalled the release of the film, slowly cluttering its core in favor of a more politically aligned cleanser that is unable to say anything unbashedly. And fourth, casting and brownzing an upper-caste Brahmin actor to play a Dalit character on screen.
With so much going against it, the power of this honest story still manages to seep through the cracks. This makes it a retelling for all of us who, often unknowingly, have benefited from caste-based privilege by failing to question or oppose the injustices in a society that repeatedly reverts to regressive ways—making the film’s message all the more relevant.
Even though “Dhadak 2” is unlikely to break the centuries-old hegemony in our country – our society remains so determined to be brainwashed into fearing that the marginalized will take over; that only a more direct and forceful approach can help remove these blindfolds.
While I am not fond of serious subjects getting the Bollywood treatment, Sazia Iqbal is direct with her introduction. She establishes caste-based violence from the very first scene by letting us see Shankar (Saurabh Sachdeva) killing off an innocent Dalit boy because he fashions himself as a savior, saving the honor of his caste.
After all, the boy dared to love beyond his own. The hero is introduced later, along with all the tidying up that Bollywood needs. The haunting opening strays away from the initial village setting of “Pariyerum Perumal,” instead moving to an unnamed city—likely Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh—where only the slum inhabited by the protagonist, Neelesh Ahirwar (Siddhant Chaturvedi), is distinctly defined.
The area that Neelesh lives in is known as Bhim Nagar – of course, it is frowned upon by upper-caste people who do not welcome Neelesh when he manages to get admission to National Law University because he belongs to a ‘quota.’ For a large part of the story, Neelesh is a reluctant apolitical layman who, like his idol B.R Ambedkar, wants to be someone who gets a say in things without his caste being brought into question. He is so ashamed of his identity that he has decided not to speak up, often using the acronym Neelesh BA LLB to cover up for who he is.
When the college spokesperson, a Dalit activist named Shekhar (Priyank Tiwari), tries to make him see his reality, he quickly backtracks and avoids any tactics that put him in the wavelength of unwanted attention.
The film exemplifies Neelesh’s sense of invisibility, but also introduces elements that don’t allow him to exercise it. These elements keep pushing him to corners that he has already latched onto, and despite trying his best not to fight, he is unable to. The other important heartbeat of the film lies in Vidhi Bharadwaj (Triptii Dimri), an upper caste, progressive young woman, who believes that having a clear, unapologetic, and unbiased look at the world will help her understand Neelesh, who slowly grows closer to her before pushing himself away as they traverse the world of Law together.
The love story is, of course, essential to let the conflict sit square with Neelesh’s idea of identity and existence, but I am glad that it is not the only thing that dictates the story’s eventual brutality towards him. The idea of the privileged feeling threatened when someone just walks beyond their established bounds shows a mirror to the current state of the country.
Even though we claim to be ‘woke’ about our idea of modern love and all humans being equal, economic disparity and unequal rights still take the front seat. “Dhadak 2” offers a very clear, honest, and occasionally moving look at a world that cannot be seen as equal because we can’t see an underprivileged person prospering – despite having to cross twice as many barriers to get the same status.
As a film, Iqbal’s film does have flaws – more notable in the triet first half that is peppered with gags and unnecessary pandering just so it can establish two characters who are in love. It doesn’t help that, unlike the way-removed “Dhadak,” which at least made the romance believable, the love story here doesn’t feel organic. Neelesh and Vidhi do feel like they could have a close bond, but their romantic inclinations are not well defined or earned. A major distraction for me also comes in the way of the background score that keeps blaring every scene, not allowing you to have a takeaway on your own.
However, I do understand why some of these elements are necessary to cushion the film and make it reach a larger demographic. Also, if you are able to look beyond the brownness of his skin, Siddhant Chaturvedi gives an earnest performance as a boy forced to be a man who has to fight for himself and let go of his innocence, just because caste defines and dictates everything around him.
Iqbal has also offered Triptii Dimri a meatier role when compared to the one that Anandhi has in “Pariyerum Perumal,” but I am not sure if Dimri is able to make it feel like a congruent standout. The other clear standout here is Anubha Fatehpura and Vipin Sharma, who play Neelesh’s mother and father.
Consequently, “Dhadak 2” should be applauded, and so should Dharma Production, for offering a film that doesn’t gloss over the social realities of such stories, just so they can present a pretty picture.
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