Back in 2012, Akshay Kumar made an appearance as lord Krishna in Oh My God and raised several pertinent questions on societal practices. 11 years later, he is returning with OMG 2, this time making an appearance as Lord Shiva’s messenger. While the first part was led by Paresh Rawal, the sequel features Pankaj Tripathi and Yami Gautam in lead roles.

Plot:

Sex education is a taboo topic in most parts of India and with OMG 2, director Amit Rai tries to put forth a debate around the inclusion of sex education in school syllabus. The plot of OMG 2 revolves around how an episode of masturbation in school takes a toll on the mental health of Vivek (Aarush Varma) and also a change in perception around his entire family in the society. When all hopes and fighting spirit is lost, lord Shiva sends his messenger (Akshay Kumar) to stand by the family in tough times and bring them out of the situation. The messenger motivates his father, Kanti Sharan Mudgal (Pankaj Tripathi) to file a case against the school and several other mis-informants in the society. What’s the case all about and how Kanti Sharan Mudgal manages to break the taboo is what unfolds in OMG 2.

What works?

Credit where due, OMG 2 is making an attempt to put forward a topic which everyone within the industry would shy away from. The team deals with sex education and masturbation with maturity and manages to leave a message but in a very entertaining manner. The story telling is packaged with ample humour and dramatic moments in the courtroom, especially the second half. While the initial 20 minutes are used to set up the story, it picks up with Akshay Kumar’s introduction in the first half and follows a consistent pace until the interval.

There is a little dip in the initial second half, but again, the conflict intensifies and picks up very well in the final 40 minutes. An episode in the pre-climax in the hospital hits the right emotional note and has the potential to have tears roll off your cheeks. That’s followed by another hard-hitting monologue in the climax, which acts as a major clap trap moment, suggesting a sense of victory. There’s another empowering sequence in the climax featuring a sex worker.

All the portions featuring Akshay Kumar are refreshing and bring a smile. Unlike OMG (2012), this one has a unique way in which he helps his believer. In a clash scenario with Gadar 2, there’s a sequence in the second half that’s sure to be received well, acting as an easter egg to what’s happening. The dialogues are done well, especially the comic one-liners through the narrative. The biggest win for OMG lies in the fact that the story makes you feel for what the Vivek, Kanti and family are going through and redeems the belief in the finale.

What Doesn’t Work?

The courtroom sequences in the early part of the case are not as effective as one expected them to be and it takes a little time to warm up to the debate, more so due to the subject that the makers have in hand. Some of the sequences featuring the family in the first half tends to get a little loud on humour front. However, the larger scheme of what the film is trying to say, these drawbacks can be ignored.

The comparisons are bound to happen with the first part, but it is going to be important for the viewers to watch OMG 2 as a standalone film. The topic of OMG was a lot more universal, but this one is a bit more on the taboo side and it’s not easy here to deviate from the conflict for comic relief. The modifications suggested by censor board of certain sequences and dialogues does act as a distraction, especially in the close-up shots. The production values are good enough for the genre of the film.

Performance

Akshay Kumar as lord Shiva’s messenger is integral to the proceedings of story and performances with utmost grace. His screen presence and dialogues never fail to bring a smile, and you can sense a feeling of accomplishment towards the finale. Pankaj Tripathi steals the show with his portrayal of Kanti Sharan Mudgal. He downplays himself in the first half and then rises to the occasion in the second half. He excels in all the monologues while fighting the case, and mouths all those one-liners in his typical poker face style. Yami Gautam as prosecutor Kamini acts well, however, the transformation arc of the character could have been tackled in a better way. Watch out for the confidence with which she fights her case – she carries the confidence in her body language. Child actor Aarush Varma does well in his role, and the same can be said for Pavan Malhotra, who plays a judge. Govind Namdev, Arun Govil, Bijendra Kala do justice to their respective parts. The rest of the ensemble too does well.

Verdict:

OMG 2 is a well-intentioned film that has its heart at the right place. The film educates without getting too preachy. While the courtroom debates could have been a little more exciting, the biggest W for the film is its ability to engage and entertain despite falling in the bracket of a ‘Taboo’. The irony of the situation lies in the fact that the censor board itself fell for the taboo that the film is trying to address and break. OMG 2 is certainly a film that could start some conversations that people are usually awkward to talk about and full marks to the makers for attempting a film on this subject. It’s also commendable for a mainstream movie star like Akshay Kumar to touch upon the subject of Sex Education. Recommended.