Raktabeej 2 Review: A Durga Puja Release That Promised Fireworks But Flickers Out
Abir Chatterjee, Mimi Chakraborty, and Ankush Hazra star in this Durga Puja release. Strong performances aside, the Bengali thriller loses its grip with tonal shifts and a weak climax.
Durga Puja is when Bengali cinema rolls out its biggest crowd-pullers, and this year Raktabeej 2 arrived with all the hype. Directed by Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy, the sequel aimed to raise the stakes with bigger plot, bigger canvas, and a deeper dive into terror and politics. On paper, it had all the makings of a festival blockbuster. On screen, the thrill doesn’t always land.
The Storyline That Tries to Stretch Too Far
Abir Chatterjee returns as Pankaj Singha, the steady intelligence officer who’s once again racing against time to prevent a terrorist conspiracy in Bangladesh. Mimi Chakraborty plays Sanjukta, his colleague and romantic interest. Adding fresh spice to the mix is Ankush Hazra, playing a doctor whose gentle smile hides a menacing truth. The ingredients are there for a nail-biting ride but the dish doesn’t come together.
Performances That Hold Up the Film
Abir’s calm, commanding screen presence gives the movie its backbone. Mimi gets moments to shine as a strong-willed officer, though her track often slips into love interest territory instead of keeping her fire going. The real surprise is Ankush Hazra. He embraces the villainy with a chilling ease, making his doctor-turned-criminal act one of the few memorable aspects of the film.
Where It Misses the Mark
The problem is inconsistency. Just when the tension starts to build, the film throws in a song sequence or an unnecessary detour. A romantic track in Thailand, for example, breaks the thriller’s flow completely. The climax inside a jam-packed cricket stadium should have been edge-of-the-seat, but instead, it feels oddly comical. Add to that a simplistic take on cross-border politics, and the film’s sharp edges are dulled.
Final Verdict
Raktabeej 2 wanted to be a Pujo special thriller, but it ended up being more of a mixed bag. The ambition is visible, the performances are watchable, but the execution never matches the scale it sets out to achieve.
Spotlite Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
