Review: Hate Story 2

Cast: Surveen Chawla (Sonika), Sushant Singh (Mandar Mhatre), Jay Bhanushali (Akshay)

Genre: Thriller

Direction: Vishal Pandya

Production: Bhushan Kumar, Vikram Bhatt

Screenplay: Madhuri Banerjee

Cinematographer: Raju Khan, Swarup

Music: Mithoon, Meet Bros Anjjan, Arko Pravo Mukherjee, Rashid Khan

Editing : Kuldip Mehan

Distribution: T-Series Films

Release Date: 18^th July, 2014

Language: Hindi

Duration: 2 hours 19 minutes

Rating: 3.5 /5 (Good +)

Hate Story 2, a film by Vishal Pandya, is a complete justice to its genre. It marks the Bollywood debut for Jay Bhanushali (TV fame – Actor and Anchor) and Surveen Chawla (TV Personality and Punjabi film actress).  What a performance from Sushant Singh and Surveen Chawala. Yes, it is true that, it is painful and difficult to watch such a movie. There was not a single moment in the movie where one would yawn. Even though predictable plot, one would be completely at the edge of the chair. We have seen Sushant giving powerful performances in the past and this is not an exception either. It is difficult to take eyes off Surveen when she is in the frame. Plot revolves around a politician who is obsessed with his keep. When he finds that she is involved with somebody else, he makes their lives difficult followed by revenge from the girl…this forms the story. We have even seen stories of vengeance in the past, but the actors and the director together have made this movie a great one to watch. This movie may not be for the people who just want some comedy from the movies.

The movie begins with the rescue of Sonika (Surveen Chwala) from a coffin in a graveyard who was almost dying due to asphyxia. She is brought to the hospital, and given police protection as well. On realizing that she is not safe even in the hospital, she flees from the hospital. Flash backs reveal that she is the politician Mandar Mathre’s (Sushant Singh) mistress, who doesn’t even give her space and time to breath, forget about letting her live. Sonika is physically, emotionally and sexually abused by him. A chess board is always laid out in her apartment, and Mandar always plays his moves autocratically. Mandar’s tough ways are reflected through his dialogues as well: (Baba Kahte the) Chinti ke par aur nagin ke sar shuruwat me hi kuchal dene chahiye; Kaidi ki rihaai ki arzoo aur rakhail ki azaadi ki arzoo, sar uthaayegi jarur; chuhe ko maarne ke liye uske peeche nahi daudte, vo khud apni badle ki bhookh mitaane ke liye chuhedani me aayegi etc. He does not even mind humiliating his wife in front of others.      

Sonika pursues her passion of photography by taking lessons on it. There she meets a happy-go-lucky Akshay (Jay Bhanushali) and falls in love. Mandar sniffs that Sonika is hiding something from him and physically assaults her like anything. On discovering the relationship of Sonika with Akshay, it is not to be even mentioned, what Mandar does to both of them. Rest of the story is about how Sonika takes revenge from him.

I felt, probably her journey of transformation i.e. to gather courage and strength to avenge Mandar and his henchmen could have been shown and justified in a better manner since she was physically and mentally frail. And what could have been avoided absolutely was Sunny Leone’s Pink Lips item number.

Jay Bhanushali’s role is small, yet, he is able to do complete justice to his character.

Song Aaj fir Tumpe Pyar aaya hai, behad aur beshumar aaya hai… by Arijit Singh and Samira Koppikar is very good.

Hate Story 2, gives us some powerful performances through Sushant and Surveen. Watch it if you like this genre.

Rating: 3.5/5 (Good +)