Like Raid the story of Raid 2 also revolves around the honest IRS officer Amay Patnaik (Ajay Devgn). This time he is accused of accepting a bribe and is subsequently transferred to Bhoj. There Amay discovers that Dada Bhai (Riteish Deshmukh) a local politician is highly popular among the public and runs a charitable foundation. Amay suspects something is amiss and conducts raids on Dada Bhais house and offices. The first half of the film is quite engaging filled with constant twists that keep you glued to your seat. Ajay Devgns performance and Riteish Deshmukhs portrayal of the villain are both impressive. When Amay and Dada Bhai finally come face to face you truly feel that the real drama is about to begin. However the second half of the film lacks suspense. It feels like Amay Patnaik defeats Dada Bhai too easily and the raid goes smoothly without much tension. The return of Tauji (Saurabh Shukla) from Raid also feels confusing and his connection with Dada Bhai isn’t clearly explained. Raj Kumar Gupta known for directing thrillers like No One Killed Jessica and Indias Most Wanted falls short this time. If you enjoyed Raid you might find Raid 2 underwhelming. The villain starts off looking powerful but the moment Amay Patnaik (Ajay Devgn) steps in he quickly loses his edge. So it’s best not to expect too much. Riteish Deshmukh who plays the villain tries his best but it doesn’t really work. He looks tired and not very interested in the role and the weak script doesn’t do him any favours. It’s a letdown especially since he’s usually such a good actor. The storyline is weak and very predictable. Unlike the first part this film barely focuses on the raid. Instead it wanders failing to build any real excitement or suspense. At one point Ajay Devgn even says “Poori Mahabharat mein bana raha hoon” which feels forced and out of place. Vaani Kapoor adds glamour but her performance lacks the simplicity and charm that Ileana DCruz brought to the original. Actor Saurabh Shukla is wasted in a forgettable role while Amit Sial truly steals the show. He is brilliant as the corrupt tax commissioner and brings some much-needed energy and humour. The film also took over most cinema screens leaving little room for smaller films like The Bhootnii and Hit 3. That too feels unfair to moviegoers. In short Raid 2 is dull and slow. Some films don’t need a sequel and this was one of them.