Fukrey Returns review: The BEST Bollywood sequel so far!

Movie: Fukrey Returns

Cast: Ali Fazal, Varun Sharma, Pulkit Samrat, Richa Chadha, Manjot Singh, Pankaj Tripathi, Vishaka Singh, Priya Anand

Director: Mrigdeep Singh Lamba

Producer: Excel Entertainment (Farhan Akhtar)

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Very few Bollywood remakes or sequels actually stay with us and even fewer are those who make quite an impact on us. Thankfully, Fukrey Returns is one of them and I was more than happy to be proven wrong about my preconceptions of Bollywood sequels not holding up. Maybe this explains why it took four years to come up with a part 2, else one is very well aware of the pace at which a single film turns into a franchise.

Now, let’s cut to the chase. In the first half, Bholi Punjaban (Richa Chadha) works her way out of prison, a freedom that she received at the cost of 10 crores and some quid-pro-quo by, you guessed it, the politician. It’s now up to the Fukras to get that money through their usual ways but the politician turns it around and makes them look like a bunch of frauds (Just on a bigger and noticeable scale this time). Soon, they jump into the water and are declared dead, except they (obviously) are not. In the midst of all this, Bholi realizes that ChooCha (Varun Sharma) has a new gift of premonition, which is of seeing the immediate future.

What we particularly liked about this section was that the writing was pretty fast-paced. Pulkit is still the brainy guy, Ali has given a good character arc to Zafar and Varun is the same old goofy choocha. On the other hand, Richa and Manjot needed to pick up on the pace of their characters. Pankaj Tripathi is, naturally, just LEGENDARY! Although a bit hurried up in places but nothing too bad comes your way. They are just some glitches which come and go in the blink of an eye.

Situational comedy, just like the previous film, is just on-point but once in a while, the jokes just don’t land right when they are supposed to. But, they could be counted in those blink-and-miss blunders. All in all, the first half just had one scene of sub-standard editing and the animal-related CGI could have been a little better, but sometimes the charm is where the flaw is. Amidst all the fun and masala, you get a handful of very important and relevant life lessons if you watch and listen closely.

Coming to the fairly brisk second half, ChooCha leads the gang and Bholi to a treasure which has been guarded by a tiger (now we get the tiger-related promotional strategy). One gets no points for guessing that the treasure is found and even the shrewd politician goes down. But, it is done VERY HILLARIOUSLY and it is this exact method that you must see in the theatres.

Here, there’s a lesson to be learned that anything gold related is not the only treasure. It is anything which has demand. Also, you will have NO idea as to how the conclusion will come to you. There are very few films out there which have very few to ZERO logical flaws and have a brisk script, and the Fukrey gang has achieved that feat. The gang cools down overall, but it’s natural as there comes a time where all the characters see light at the end of a dark tunnel (figuratively, of course).

Pankaj Tripathi gets a special mention (and even a standing ovation in one scene) for a brilliant performance. It is so relieving to see the film fraternity taking notice of this brilliant man.

Overall, the film stands strong on its own merit and stellar content and here’s hoping that the film does well.

Don’t believe much of what you read here? Wait for a standing ovation till the end of the feature presentation, and we bet that you will want to join in.

So, spend some time with the adorable Fukras and the “Bholi” Punjaban. You will not regret it.