Draupathi 2 Movie Review:

The problem with zealots, be it on any side of the political spectrum, is that their idea of self-righteousness and a holier-than-thou attitude makes them oblivious to critical thinking, thereby burning bridges for a rational and utilitarian dialogue. This is why director Mohan G’s Draupathi 2 does not cut ice and ends up being a rabble-rouser’s panacea. Honestly, peddling propaganda would be the last reason to criticise Draupathi 2. Every film, for that matter, carries propaganda. An unrealistically dreamy film with concocted sweet situations is also a propaganda film aimed at restoring faith in love. But what ails Draupathi 2 is that it is relentless to the point of fatigue, pushes things too far too often, and contradicts itself. 

Draupathi 2 begins with Rudra Prabhakaran of the 2020 film (Richard Rishi) being consulted by an elderly person over a vast expanse of land with an ancient temple claimed as a Waqf property. An affluent non-resident native of his village helps financially and sends his daughters to oversee the restoration works of the temple. This incident makes Rudra learn more about himself and the perpetual struggle against the invaders.

There is a lot of value in pursuing a singular objective in a film and navigating characters in achieving or foiling it. Films like Ajay Devgn’s Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior or the recent film Dhurandhar have benefited from this singular focus. Mohan G with Draupathi 2, in this ideology-induced misstep, bungles with an opportunities-laden story. Draupathi 2 would have been a lot more interesting if it were just about Veera Simha Kadavarayan’s (again Richard Rishi) siege of Mohammed Bin Thuglaq’s Devapuri/Dowlatabad fort to rescue Hoysala king Veera Ballala’s (Natty) son. In the first half, once in every two to three scenes, we either hear about or see the sufferings of people who are forced to convert to Islam due to the pressures of Jizya, the protection tax non-Muslims had to pay. But in neither of the halves do we see any portrayal of a specific atrocity in the Northern, North Western Tamil Nadu region adjacent to Karnataka committed by the Thuglaq regime.

Every character is painted in broad strokes in Draupathi 2, and there is greater emphasis on the evil of the wrongdoers than the goodness of the noble people. Depicting Mohammed Bin Thuglaq (Chirag Jani) and Madurai Sultan Ghiyasuddin Dhamkani (Dinesh Lamba) as just lecherous meat-eaters and nothing else seems more like a pernicious tool to villify and loathe the Muslim community rather than a cinematic liberty. Also, some distasteful shots of women being abused by these sultans suggest that the makers didn’t have care or empathy for those who went through unthinkable abuses in history.

Veera Simha Kadavarayan’s characterisation isn’t great either. He is as one-note as it could get. He is the protector of the Hindu Dharma; he is noble, he is a fierce warrior… and that’s it. The screenplay remains uncharacteristically silent about every other aspect of his persona as he embarks on a mission.