Few films in the history of Tamil cinema have been as unapologetic about their deployment of violence as the 2016 indie gem, Uriyadi. The ruthlessness in it is cathartic; it’s the channelling of all the helplessness arising from perennial suppression by the powerful. You couldn’t but back those anonymous, unafraid students dealing the sort of payback many of us, in the face of injustice, have only dreamt of.

Director: Vijay Kumar

The last three years, since the release of Uriyadi, have been quite eventful, politically speaking. Closer home, among other developments, the Sterlite protests occurred, police opened fire on a crowd, an environmental activist has since gone missing… It’s not been rosy at all. So, there’s definitely reason for another Uriyadi, and this perhaps is the motivation behind Uriyadi 2.

There’s a chemical factory — Paksino Private Limited (Pak-Sino? Pakistan and China?) — whose willful negligence results in environmental pollution, death and protests. Crooked politicians look to utilise it for personal growth, amoral policemen await instructions, and the public… they are the victims. It’s all familiar. With such explosive material, with many years of accumulated frustration waiting to be channelised through revenge and cathartic violence… quite strangely, Vijay Kumar has made the film to fetch a U-certificate (because the production house, 2D Entertainment, is known for family-friendly films?). Mass murders happen, noxious gases asphyxiate children and pregnant women as they cough blood and die… it’s hardly child-relevant material. Why try to cater to them? (Review continued in the link below)

For the remainder of this review (and there’s a lot more left, I assure you), please visit https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/tamil/2019/apr/05/uriyadi-2-review-vijay-kumar-seems-to-hold-back-his-punches-in-this-unfulfilling-sequel-10891.html