The glimpses of Bharateeyudu 3 shown after the end credits wants us to believe that Bharateeyudu 3 will be better than Bharateeyudu 2 despite a solution-less unsatisfactory cliff-hanger-ish climax.

If the central issue in Bharateeyudu (1996) is corruption, the central emotional conflict of the story was Senapathy’s son being a habituated corrupt officer. In Bharateeyudu 2 too, the central emotional conflict remains the rift between two generations. The parent kills the son in part-one. Now, in the second part, the children are urged proactively to clean the house before making the nation corrupt-free. I really liked this idea of a generational shift in acceptance of corruption over honesty. Shankar hit the core with this approach of reversing revenge-taking-parent with justice-giving-children. However, sometimes, cleaning of the house will also make it more messier, as happened in Bharateeyudu 2. Would you want order in society that comes only with the chaos in your house?

Chitra Varadharanjan (Siddharth) is one among four ‘Barking Dogs’. They are influencer-youtubers doing satirical social commentary on social media for social awareness and calling out and cancelling out the corrupt officers. The frustrated-four starts an online campaign called #ComeBackIndain. And, he comes back.

Issue-Based Relatability

The events that led them to call Senapathy back are obviously related to contemporary social issues. This is where the movie begins to feel relevant.

Director-Writer Shankar touches the social issues that are still fresh in the minds of Indians. For example, the obvious corruption that happens at government offices in the recruitment process and how a small-scale middle-class low-profiled man can also be a thousand crorepati corrupt-man. Apart from these expected issues, he had also highlighted the torture and blackmailing of loan recovery agents and the scams of government exams too.

The feeling of relevance remains a mere feeling. It doesn’t materialise into emotion through the story and the characters. You really feel the disconnect with the characters, even with the Supremo Senapathy too. The feeling of relatability is purely issue-based. And, that can be achieved even with a 400-worded news article too. We don’t need a Shankar-scale grand-cinema for only this purpose.

Grandiosity Without a Purpose

The portrayal of the ultra-rich who owns the walls and beds and bathrooms covered with gold, even the floor is made of gold– wait, even the transparent glass-floor is also filled with trucks of Indian currency notes– can be a bit of an exaggeration. (Buy, hey! Who knows?) Whether it is real or not, the visuals are just Shankar-esque. They reminded me of Thota Taranis sets of Sivaji’s Vaaji song.

Talking of songs, Shankat didn’t leave his Shankar-ness out of the window even when there is no need for a grandiose visually appealing ‘Calender Song’ shot by 2017’s Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Tebow. And, the song ‘Taatha Vasthaade’ also gives us a reminiscences of I/Manoharudu (2015). Anirudh’s music was peppy at the moment but they will be forgotten soon. The background score might live a few more months if not years, that too, unfortunately, only if it becomes reel-worthy.

Shankar didn’t compromise in production design. Although it looks a bit exaggerated to ‘make a point’ without a definite purpose, it is grand. Hey, it’s Shankar. So, can’t complain much. Just accept to ignore and move on.

Shankar and the Future?

Bharateeyudu 2 raises some serious doubts on Shankar’s future projects. He has a commercial political movie, Game Changer starring Ram Charan, and Bharateeyudu 2 as his upcoming movies. Both are about society and politics. If this is the treatment that Game Changer and Bharateeyudu 3 will also receive, then, it is a serious thought that Shankar must focus on.

Director Shankar had made his own thematic cinematic universe even before cinematic universes became a thing in Indian cinema. Just look at the uniting theme of ‘vigilante fighting corruption/poverty’ in his movies like Sivaji, Aparichithudu/Anniyan, Oke Okkadu/Mudhalvan, and of course Bharateeyudu Part one & two. He often comes up with ‘solutions’ to social issues that can make it a cinematic story tailored for the big screen with his big scale uncontrolled imagination. Shankar is a dedicated filmmaker on social issues with the cinematic imagination of a 10-year old social scientist.