OMG 2

OMG 2, much like the first, is an exciting courtroom drama, urging its viewers to question society. This time the conflict lies in the study of sex education, or lack thereof. Kanti Sharan Mudgal is a worker at a holy temple whose life gets unfurled when an “obscene video” of his son is sensationalism on the internet. What ensues is a touch of self reflection and a fight against the norms. 

The storyline is simple and the message is clear. Pankaj Tripathi is perfect in his role as the father. The only remnant of the first OMG is Akshay Kumar who reprises the role of God (or his messenger in this case) and provides direction to the struggling father. His role is flamboyant and exciting but sometimes unclear. The advice offered is convoluted and his presence in Kanti’s life isn’t properly justified. 

While on a surface the film discusses the topics of sex and masturbation, we never truly see a discussion into the bullying that led to the video, which in itself was a crime. The actual harassment faced by Vivek in school is brought up in a sentence in the end but the itch for action still remains. The film had the potential to open a very important and wide discussion regarding sex, harassment and gender, but the screenplay limited itself. Simultaneously, it reflected the Indian sensibility, where there exists a desire to explore progressive ideas, but often from a certain distance. The gathered crowds in the courtroom sat and relished the chaos that the case brought, often accompanied by indulgent kachoris. However, when faced with the probing question, many among them tended to withdraw or shy away. 

It’s a true treat to see Pankaj Tripathi in the courtroom as he quotes scripture after scripture proving the need of the hour. Yami Gautam stands as a formidable opponent and creates an uncomfortably regressive character. Pawan Malhotra is hilarious as the judge who’s shocked by the sudden crowd in his court, takes pictures as proof and has strict rules regarding contempt. 

There are a lot of parallels between the first OMG and the sequel. The slowly filling up courts with people discussing how the protagonist makes sense, the near death experience, the God reveal, etc. The movie is definitely entertaining and urges you to take insight, but the impact isn’t as hard as you want it to be. 

Also, it’s definitely ironic how heavily the sequel pushes for idol and temple worship, when the first OMG quite literally built a whole case against it. Food for thought.