HATE STORY 2: Rotten, regular & regressive revenge drama! [1.5/5]

What do you expect from a vengeance drama that has a woman as its main lead fighting for freedom, justice and right to live & love? At least to have a common courtesy to show the strength, sensibility and sensitivity of a woman in good light at the first place! Vishal Pandya’s HATE STORY 2 fails to remember this very simple logic even when the evil forces [Men, mostly] are not busy disapproving the very existence of this breed, equally responsible and possibly more reliable in the evolution of human race. So, the women here are seen being abused verbally & physically, portrayed as the sex-symbol and a powerless weaker sex pleading for her life. And when not, a ruthless killer with least traces of sensitivity and emotions in her acts of revenge! HATE STORY 2 is a rotten, regular & regressive revenge drama.

Sonika [played by Suvreen Chawla] is a trapped soul in nasty hands of a powerful criminal minded male-chauvinist politician Mandar Mhatre [Sushant Singh in his ‘Saavdhan India’ avatar]. He keeps a check on her regularly and fiercely accepts that he doesn’t care if she actually loves him or not. In hopes to taste freedom, Sonika finds a soul-mate in Akshay [TV Star Jay Bhanushali for the first time on silver screen] but the possessive captor decides to spoil the game if he’s not there in it.

Taking cues from its first part, HATE STORY 2 also relies on thrills and chills of same nature. Thrills based out of action and violence and chills from the sexual objectification of women. Though this time, the intensity is a bit low and driving force in the both lacks the charm to pull any of it better. Looking for logics in the events happening one after other is something foolish to even think of. The transition of Sonika from a horrified victim to a much stronger opponent and a cold-blooded slayer is extremely convenient, unreal and highly dramatic.

Surveen as the lead either screams like her guts out or just keeps her tone in a huskier region sounding like possessed souls in horror flicks from Bhatts. She sure knows the demands of a script and what to put in the showcase. I don’t blame her for that as one of women characters in the film states, “Hum auraton ko humesha karna padta hai”. Jay only impresses with his facial muscles especially when he’s lip-syncing a romantic number. I wish if making faces would make him eligible for any category of awards. Sushant Singh takes full control of all the overstated performances. His ‘baba kehte the’ quotes irritates and infuriates time and again. They all are very inhuman, anti-women and definitely age-old.

To wind up, HATE STORY 2 is a film that has nothing good to say. Neither a plot that is new nor an emotion that has been transported well! It is only meant to tease you and tickle in the lower part of your body to keep ringing the box-office a good amount of return. Avoid it! [1.5/5]