Avunu 2 Review

Behind the Movie Avunu 2: Commercial success of ‘Avunu’ made Ravi Babu and Suresh Babu to come up on a sequel with involvement of same star cast, crew and plot. Let us see, whether there are similar thrills here?

In the Movie Avunu 2: Discharged from hospital, Harsha (Harshavardhan) and Mohini (Poorna) vacate the house in gated community to find a fully automated apartment in centre of city. Meanwhile, Harsha parents die in accident. During a trip to Varanasi, an Aghora identifies the spirit of Captain Raju (Ravi Babu) still chasing Poorna and helps her offering a sacred amulet which should be wore for one complete year to escape permanently from clutches of Captain Raju. However, Captain Raju’s invisible presence needs a physical body to have pleasure with Mohini. What kind of trials does the soul of Captain Raju make? Was he successful in finding the voyeuristic pleasure dreamt of? 

Values & Out of the Movie Avunu 2: An invisible adversary man stalking at beautiful heroine clad in transparent saris generated a spooky feeling. The concept was new for first part because there was a story behind joined with uncompromised narration style. Coming to sequel, there is no story here as the same evil spirit thirsts only for intimate satisfaction and there’s nothing more to propel the concept. This formed basic drawback to miss much needed excitement. As a director and screen writer Ravi Babu did not bring those magical moments like in first part. Entire film captured in only one apartment with wonderful aesthetics of house automation is an interesting aspect. In fact, the home itself becomes a character hard to delineate. 

To bring some solidarity and root in entertainment, Ravi Babu added extra, silly ingredients introducing Sanjana (Sanjana), a ghost buster and neighboring family (Nikitha, Satya) which finally go unrelated. Majority of first half was like a promotional video for house automation before Captain Raju re-enters into story with same old techniques gyrating on bed, pulling the blanket, stalking into bathroom etc. Only additional feature was that of an amulet tied to Mohini’s Mangalasutra. Whatsoever, this was unrealistically fabricated ruling the total narration. 

Sudhakar Reddy camera work was an extension of first part while editing of Marthand K Venkatesh missed the tapering in first half. Sekhar Chandra background score was loud and annoying. Production values of Suresh Productions and Flying Frog Productions are fine.

On performance front, Poorna suffers with same problem and so are the depiction of fearful emotions stand same. She did a bit of skin show which might entice a section of audience.  Romanticism between Poorna and Harshavardhan was sensual. Good that Harshavardhan is not a showpiece like in first installment. He got a challenge in second half wherein showed the brilliance. Mohan, friend to Harsha got prominence. Sanjana had a weak character. Satya as neighborhood tenant entertained for while with Nikitha as his wife. Of the rest, none needed a big mention.

Avunu 2 seems to be a product made only to cash on success of first. Neither Ravi Babu nor the cast, crew scored brownie points. Although runtime is locked below 1 hour 42 minutes, it wasn’t gripping to create an impact. There was boring, lagged up episodes in first half. Second half had a bit of betterment. 

All in all, Avunu 2 simply shifts the horror premise from gated community or say it a villa (in Avunu) to an automated apartment. Rest is the same. There are no thrilling and horrified moments to glorify. 

Commercially, the film might have gone into table profit zone already. Start it from first day openings, Suresh Babu and Ravi Babu are definitely to harvest huge benefits.

Cinejosh Verdict of Avunu 2: Not a Fitting Sequel.

                                                     Cinejosh Rating: 2.25/5.0

                                                                               Reviewed by Srivaas