Action comedy flick "Yamla Pagla Deewana 2" directed by Sangeeth Sivan has finally hit the screens in India. The film featuring the Deol trio - Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby, is a sequel to the 2011 hit film of the same title.
The Deol production features Neha Sharma of "Kyaa Super Kool Hai Hum" fame and Australian model-turned-actress Kristina Akheeva, who is making her Bollywood debut in the film.
During the promotions, the action-comedy-drama had received a good response especially in North circuits, but it failed to impress film critics upon its release.
The film also features Annu Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Johnny Lever and Sucheta Khanna in important roles.
Check out the critics review here (SPOILER ALERT):
Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV writes: "Those that have been through the first round of the Yamla Pagla Deewana shock treatment might be forgiven for thinking that it couldn't get any worse. Think again. The sequel is double the pain. It scrapes the very bottom of the barrel.
"Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 is much worse than brain-numbing. The screenplay jumbles up a few songs, some action scenes and a string of vapid comic gags and then dumps it all into a messy mix that makes about as much sense as Garam Dharam's pow-wows with the mute ape. You've got to be yamla, pagla or deewana, preferably all three, to grasp what is going on.
"Parts of YPD2 are so outrageously silly that they can actually be unintentionally funny. One gag is piled upon another without any concession to logic. The film runs for 155 minutes and its attempts to pass off lunacy as a humour simply do not have the force to hold such a long film together.
"Like all Indian films these days, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 starts with a disclaimer asserting that no animals were hurt during the shoot. Isn't the poor orangutan an animal? It must be terribly 'hurt' at being treated with such disdain by mankind!"
Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama writes: "YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA-2 maintains the spirit of YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA, but has a new story to tell. It's a new setting too. Furthermore, a new director [Sangeeth Sivan] gets the responsibility to helm the project this time.
"The Deols are known for their charm and star appeal and Sivan and writer Jasvinder Singh Bath try hard -- very hard, in fact -- to ensure that the trio charm their way into our hearts yet again. But they don't!
"The film depends largely on the fun quotient and one expects the goings-on/episodes to keep us smiling/laughing for most parts. But barring a few sequences here and there, the humor falls flat. One doesn't mind inane or frivolous situations as long as they keep you hooked, but the writing is slapdash and the impact, therefore, is missing.
"While the first hour of YPD2 lacks the punch, one hopes fervently that the post-interval portions do the trick, like the first installment did.
"YPD2 has a strong Punjabi flavor and that's evident in its soundtrack as well. Unfortunately, barring the title track, the songs are plain ordinary. Action constantly gives you the feeling of déjà vu. Cinematography is eye-filling.
"On the whole, YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA-2 rides on the star power of the Deols and of course, its brand. That may attract the spectators initially. But, eventually, it's the content that does the talking and in this case, the lackluster script plays a spoilsport!"
Gayatri Sankar of Zee News writes: "As the film opens, Paramveer's undying faith in God is introduced to the audiences. He is indeed a one-man army who doesn't refrain from calling spade a spade. Nonetheless, Paramveer's father and brother take pleasure in conning people despite being supported by him financially and otherwise.
"The two thugs - Dharam and Gajodjar - lay a trap to get hold of a UK-based businessman Sir Yograj Khanna (Annu Kapoor), who travels overseas to seek Yamla Baba's (Dharmendra) blessings.
"And with him comes his pretty daughter Suman (Neha Sharma), a diehard fan of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. Dharam wants his son Gajodhar to impress Suman and thus make way to a plush visit to the UK along with Khanna, the multi-millionaire. As the father-son thug duo land in the UK, they realise that they have indeed asked for trouble, for they weren't aware that Paramveer works for Khanna.
"And with this rendezvous, the film proceeds ahead but with negligible velocity.
"Coming to the performances, the Deols are as always far too impressive but what matters more here is that the script proves to be a complete disaster. The Deol magic can do little to lift the fate of the film high, for there is least to talk about.
"'Yamla Pagla Deewana 2' has action aplenty but terribly fails to impress. Even Einstein (the orangutan) fails to cast his charm. The Deols could have certainly come up with a much better one! To sum it up, the first franchise 'Yamla Pagla Deewana' is a much better watch."
Mohar Basu of Koimoi.com writes: "YPD 2 is nothing like its prequel. In keeping with its earlier theme, the film fails to spark off a rollicking camaraderie like its last part. The beating around the bush excitement makes it feel too over stretched! Barely managing to squeeze out a few laughs, YPD 2 in the end is an unimpressive slackened show. Do give this one a miss, it is for the better!
"The buffoonery has been tackled without an aorta of logic. The film despite the potential of having you rolling with laughter challenges your gray matter too strongly at places. Tackily done rude humor and script that conspicuously lacks lucid flavor, YPD 2 loses its novelty by trying too hard to make you laugh.
"Since the story fails despite its picturesque setting, the actors try to set all the pre-done wrongs right! Dharmendra is less feisty this time. Mostly jaded and mellow, his charm doesn't work at all this time. Bobby Deol too seems way less energetic than the film's last edition! Reeking of stale moves, his performance was a low. Sunny Deol, as the heartwarming Punjabi, is still shattering bones perfectly, even when he is at his drunken worst, and emerges as a show stealer.
"I am going with a 2 on 5 for this one. Any day the prequel is a better version and sadly this film couldn't retain any good from its last edition. Not Deol'ed out this time!"
