Bollywood has always provided a platform for new faces to debut. Ayush Kumar is the newest to debut in Bollywood with Andaaz 2, which is directed by Suneel Darshan. The movie is a sequel to the 2003 hit Andaaz, which launched Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta’s career.
The initial movie, directed by Raj Kanwar and produced by Darshan, was a commercial success, grossing ₹288 million on a budget of ₹80 million, with chartbuster music by Nadeem-Shravan.
In Andaaz 2, Kumar plays Aarav, a romantic singer torn between love and ambition. The movie also stars new faces Akaisha Vats and Natasha Fernandez in lead roles, with romance, drama, and emotional depth, and music by Nadeem.
But then Andaaz 2 arrives on the scene, and fans ask if it is even necessary, seeing it as a bid to cash in on the nostalgia. Rather than seasoned faces, Darshan uses new faces, bewildering fans.
The retro 2000s feel of the teaser, from old-school camera angles and imagery, to contrast with the glamour of contemporary-day Bollywood, puts one in question as to whether audiences of the times will get into it.
Though Nadeem’s music is perhaps a saviour, only time will tell if it will save the film’s perceived shortcomings.
To the original enthusiasts, Andaaz 2 is now disappointing in that it lacks star power, modern filmmaking flair, and fresh ideas. Unless it does something very off-beat, it will be another entry in Bollywood’s record book of un-impressive sequels.
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