Gangs of Wasseypur II left me disappointed. Well, Kashyap is a genius and a visionary. But his self-indulgence costs the second installment dearly. It starts from where it left and immediately we are transported into the murky world of violence and vengeance. The pace is breathtakingly rapid, but the film gets weighed down by the burden of too many plot-diversions. It's like a continuous sex act desperate for an orgasm but doesn't achieve one. The build-up in Part I was more gradual that took the form of a crescendo. The narrative is a journey of cut-out frames of brilliant parts but without a stringed-together coherent whole. The once mercurial Kashyap turns somewhat whimsical as he unleashes a series of unnecessary murders in the blood-soaked saga. Although GoW II retains its visual flair, the unreal punchlines from Part I are missing, even the music doesn't provide the same kind of impetus that it did in Part I. Kashyap has killed the soul of GoW by allowing the plot to generously meander without developing the characters. Violence is unflinching and relentless, but as Rajeev Masand says - "Where is the method to the madness?"
GoW II is richly benefited by stellar performances from all the actors. Richa Chadda is outstanding as the feisty matriarch, and Huma Qureshi, as the Bollywood-obsessed emotional refuge of Faizal, is extremely convincing. The characters from GoW I don't have the same meaty screen presence like they enjoyed in the earlier installment. Zeishan Qadri is the surprise package of the film in the near-flawless portrayal of Definite. He literally dazzles with his quirky humour and restlessness coupled with uncompromising ambition that he wears on his sleeves. Finally, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Our very own Michael Corleone cements his place among the modern greats like Irrfan Khan and Kay Kay Menon with a supremely mesmerising performance. With his fearless heart filled with mad rage and thirst for vendetta, and his kaleidoscopic eyes emoting desperation and vulnerable emptiness, Bollywood has rarely seen such a superlative display of acting skills from an actor.
