Released Date : 11 Aug, 2023
Avg. User's Rating : 4.5/5
OMG2 Story: An ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, Kanti Sharan Mudgal (Pankaj Tripathi) is forced to question her own thoughts and social norms on morality, religion and sexuality after her son is expelled from school for obscenity.
OMG2 Review: A video of an anonymous person masturbating to Kanti's troubled teenage son Vivek in a school washroom ('selfie' is a slang term).
Once the video goes viral, the school expels Vivek (a brilliant Arusha Varma) to protect its image and reputation. Ashamed of her son's indecent act and fearing public outrage, Kanti decides to flee to an unknown location with her family. Her son's suicide attempt and deteriorating mental health due to humiliation and bullying, forces her to open her eyes and question her own understanding of being a parent and an adult.
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The pious and God-fearing Kanti decides to file a case against the school for psychological harassment of her son. He blames elite educational institutions for neglecting their students' rights to sex education and information. The school hires English-speaking Kamini Maheshwari (Yami Gautam) as their defense lawyer. The latter argues that 'masturbation is a sin', our conservative society is not yet ready for sex education and there is a reason private parts are called private. Their conflicting views and verbal exchange in front of a rather cheerful judge (Pawan Malhotra as Judge Purushottam Nagar) in the court frame the story. The film takes some liberties in depicting the court proceedings. You can even say who won the legal battle fought on moral grounds but it's still pretty interesting.
It's rare for sequels to fill this mammoth task with the original and writer-director Amit Rai's clever and witty courtroom comedy. A spiritual sequel to Umesh Shukla's OMG - Oh My God! (2012), OMG 2 hits the nail on the head when addressing a rather sensitive topic. Funny, fearless and entertaining, Rae doesn't play it safe. His writing challenges the status quo and yet upholds the sanctity of religion, dignity and family values of India. His language is desi and his voice is progressive. Social dramedy dares to initiate a dialogue and conversation that is considered awkward. It calls out parenting flaws that have long been buried under culture.
More importantly, it is a brave attempt to understand the unspoken distance between desi parents and their children. How many of us feel comfortable watching a love scene in a movie in front of our parents? Why are Yoni and Linga named and not addressed as Yoni and Linga! Why not discuss the menstrual cycle in school? Porn is freely accessible on the internet but sex education is a taboo. Could women be safer in the country if men knew more about their sexual needs and boundaries?
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The first half is more interesting but through its 2 hour, 36 minute runtime, the narrative is neither preachy nor lazy. Akshay Kumar, who had a cameo in the previous film, gets a big part here to play God's messenger (changed from God's character to his messenger after CBFC changes). At least 27 changes have been made for the Indian look so expect odd dubbing in some parts. A rating is a problem given how important this film is to families and teenagers.
OMG 2 boasts of a talented ensemble cast. Pankaj Tripathi is superb as the father torn between guilt and anger. Akshay's star presence and hippie look make an impression. He hums Gadar's 'Ud Ja Kale Kava' and kisses a chef, as the two films (Gadar 2 and OMG 2) clash at the box office. Yami Gautam is earnest but attempts to present him as a formidable lawyer by resorting to over-the-shoulder camera angles do not work.
OMG2 shows you how a movie can be entertaining, socially relevant and informative. A good laugh doesn't have to leave your brain behind. Take your family along to watch this interesting blend of social commentary and humor.
