Raid 2 is a 2025 Hindi-language Bollywood movie that is the direct sequel of the 2018 movie Raid. Both movies feature Ajay Devgn in the lead role, who is an Income Tax Officer, known for his raids all over India. Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta and written by Ritesh Shah, Raj Kumar Gupta, Jaideep Yadav, and Karan Vyas, the story of the movie rounds around Ajay Devgn set in the 1990s targets a big politician who is a cabinet minister at the Union Government of India, who is played by the second lead character Riteish Deshmukh as Dada Manohar Bhai.
The movie is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Kumar Mangat Pathak, and Abhishek Pathak under the banner of T-Series Films and Panorama Studios, and the distribution is handled by Panorama Studios and PVR Inox Pictures. The cinematography of the movie is done by Sudhir K. Chaudhary, editing by Sandeep Francis, and the score music is given by Amit Trivedi.
Cast
Ajay Devgn reprises his role as the upright IRS Deputy Commissioner Amay Patnaik, famous for his steely gaze and calm exterior. As is the norm, Devgn turns in a credible performance, playing the cool but focused public servant. While the first ‘Raid’ finds its emotional equilibrium, Patnaik in this is more superstar-in-sunglasses than a real bureaucrat in the world of windbags. His iconic screen presence is enough to maintain your interest, but the character arc is never as rewarding as the movie seems to think it is.
In it, Riteish Deshmukh is crushing it as Manohar Dhankar a.k.a Dada Manohar Bhai, a powerful political figure with many secrets. Even though Deshmukh oozes a silent threat and polished demeanour, the writing does not define his character well enough. One expects to have viewed more of Dada’s atrocities, some psychological extremity possibly regarding the one-girlfriend subplot that has yet to hatch. His staid performance nevertheless makes for a touchstone of dignity to Devgn’s stone-faced stoicism.
Vaani Kapoor stepping in for Ileana D’Cruz as Malini Patnaik is given little screen time and has even less bearing on the plot. And Supriya Pathak, as Dada’s rigidly pious mother, contributes grace, but her role also seems underdeveloped.
Saurabh Shukla is back as Tauji, charming albeit for less time. He delivers, even with limited screen time, as he is here, somewhat laboriously. His acerbic wit and haunted-screen presence are, as ever, the bright spot, although fans might miss his absence from pivotal storylines.
Amit Sial, who plays the shifty Lallan Sudheer, is a standout. His shifty dialogue and unpredictable character lend much-needed zing to the proceedings. Yashpal Sharma is a morally ambivalent lawyer , while Rajat Kapoor and his superior also lend gravitas.
Govind Namdev and Brijendra Kala make the auxiliary cast believable, and special appearances by Tamannaah Bhatia and Jacqueline Fernandez add the glamour.
Raid 2 also lacks any good characters to root for, which, unfortunately, is something that even its incredibly talented cast can’t change. Performances are fine, but the flat character development prevents the franchise from reaching the emotional heights of the first movie.
Reviews
TamilYogi Reviews
Seven years later, Raid 2 revives Ajay Devgn as the intrepid income tax officer Amay Patnaik. Except this time, the energy, the gnarly freshness of the first movie feels absent. Again directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, the movie attempts to be bigger and bolder, but it fails to go deeper.
The story finds Patnaik now posted at Bhoj for the 74th time, taking on Dada Manohar Bhai (Riteish Deshmukh), a politician with a mass following whose corrupt empire the people are unaware of. Patnaik is suspicious of him and leads another raid, this time, the suspense doesn’t ratchet up as it once did.
Ajay Devgn is intense as Patnaik, as usual. His silent stare, crisp walk, and no-nonsense style are all there. But what’s lacking is the emotional dimension. He acts more like a movie star than a proper officer. Vaani Kapoor as his wife Malini is hardly in the picture, and contributes little to the plot.
Riteish Deshmukh is a fine fit as the dutiful clean-shaven villain. He downplays it, but his character doesn’t have levels. Courtesy of we don’t really see the dark side of Dada Bhai. I, for one, feel the movie missed a trick here. For instance, a flashback of how he bullied his girlfriend into killing herself (which is quickly mentioned) might have been dramatized. That would have made his villainy all the scarier and more real.
Amit Sial, the corrupt officer Lallan, is a scene-stealer. His dialogue is both humorous and tense. Saurabh Shukla shows his face in a cameo as Tauji, but you miss his robust presence all through the movie. Supriya Pathak as Dada’s mother is genuine, but underdeveloped.
The dialogues are punchy, “Main Mahabharat hoon” or “Kile par hamla zaroori nahi” get whistles. But lines aside, the story is too formulaic. The first half drags with needless songs and rehashed visuals, such as endless convoys of Ambassador cars. The second half gets busy, especially in the courtroom and raid scenes.
Raid 2 isn’t an awful movie, it’s just not nearly as gripping or emotionally arresting as it should be. Better writing for the villain and more character depth, and this could have met or possibly even exceeded the first. Unfortunately, it prioritizes style over soul.
Critical Reviews
Renuka Vyavahare of The Times of India rated the movie three stars out of five and believed that Raid 2 follows its predecessor, with Devgn as an angry, brandishing officer and Riteish as a cool, murmuring villain. Though their confrontation is compelling, the movie lacks the wit and spark of the original. Saurabh Shukla is wasted, Amit Sial stands out, and even with the sharp one-liners, the movie gets too serious too soon and forgets to have fun.
Vineeta Kumar of India Today rated the movie two and a half stars out of five stars and wrote that Raid 2 begins promising, but pales in comparison to the original. Ajay Devgn gets back into stock Amay Patnaik type, although he is himself there more than the character, and Riteish Deshmukh’s villain is not menacing enough. The movie is overstuffed with songs and feeble subplots, primarily a contrived romance. It is rescued only by the sharp dialogue and an acceptable climax.
Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated the movie two stars out of five and remarked that it attempts to regain the magic of the original, but that it feels repetitive. Ajay Devgn is back, as Amay Patnaik, still clean and under-promoted, and Riteish Deshmukh, the seemingly clean villain. A few supporting actors come out of the movie well enough, but with its tards pace, loud background score, and nothing-fresh-to-look-out-for, the movie drags on. All in all, a pretty dull set of acts this time around.
Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV rated the movie two stars out of five and believed Raid 2 was missing the “spark” of the first. Ajay Devgn and Riteish Deshmukh do their best, but the movie is overwhelmed by a sluggish, formulaic plot, replete with clichés and worn-out tricks. The script falls flat, treasure is lost, and the character development is wanting. There are some bright moments, but overall it’s rather a flat follow-up, unable to live up to its predecessor.
Audiences Reviews
The movie got very impressive ratings from the audiences, over 15k people rated the movie 8.4 stars out of 10 stars on IMDb, one of the best ratings of Ajay Devgn’s movies, and even better than The Raid 2018’s ratings, which is currently 7.4 stars out of 10 on IMDb by 20k people.
Based on user reviews, it appears that Raid 2 gets good feedback from users, most of whom find it a very gripping sequel with suspense, surprises, and good acting. In the review, a lot of viewers mentioned it being a must-watch then and considering it’s that sidekick-who-finally-found-his-hero moment between Ajay Devgn’s Amay Patnaik and Riteish Deshmukh’s Dadabhai.
Devgn is praised yet again for his intensity and screen presence, with Riteish too getting pats on the back for playing a complex politician with quiet menace. Many assumed that Riteish’s character was even more sinister as he didn’t stoop to physically hurting people but worked within the system’s grey line, making him a nuanced villain.
While some enjoyed the return of Saurabh Shukla (Tauji) and Amit Sial (Lallan), saying it brought them freshness and comic relief. Supriya Pathak also won a lot of appreciation for her role as Dadabhai’s mother, who left a lasting impression on audiences. BUT some users did find Vaani Kapoor’s role redundant and unnecessary. Some found the songs, especially the item numbers, disruptive to the rhythm of the narrative; others shrugged them off as the standard Bollywood fare.
On the other hand, a lesser number of users noted that the plot was more of the same, being very similar to the first movie. Though the acting had substance, the plot line seemed unoriginal, along with a lack of continuity. One user felt the climax could have had more emotional depth, especially as it pertained to Dadabhai’s past, including scenes depicting his girlfriend, something that was omitted.
All in all, Raid 2 is a crackling, politically spiked thriller with a couple of kinks in its spine. It doesn’t replicate the magic of the original, but there is just about enough intrigue, nostalgia, and entertainment for it to be worth your while, particularly if you are a fan of gritty, grounded crime dramas and Ajay Devgn’s brand of stoic heroism. Now, most are looking up to Raid 3 with hopes sky high.
Songs
The Raid 2 soundtrack is a mix between musical styles that can reach out to the masses, and those that have innate emotional depth, with four songs that will cater to the different feelings portrayed in the movie. The high-tempo song “Nasha,” penned by Jaani, composed by White Noise Collectives, is the album opener. Sung by Jasmine Sandlas, Sachet Tandon, Divya Kumar, and Sumontho Mukherjee, the song brings in a club flavour to the storytelling. Produced by T-Series, it was released on 11 April 2025 and has over 45 million views on YouTube, one of the most-streamed tracks of the album.
The second song, “Kamle,” is a romantic duet by Sachet–Parampara with Kausar Munir penning the words and the composition done by the duo. This emotional love song clocks three minutes and fifty-two seconds, as well as a significantly moderated interlude to the rest of the movie’s high-concept. It was published on April 16, 2025, and has crossed 20 million views.
“Tumhe Dillagi”, a ghazal by the legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has been recreated by the talented duo Salim-Sulaiman and rendered by the brilliant Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, with additional lyrics by Manoj Muntashir. It was released on April 19 and has attracted more than 27 million views, and the public’s enduring love, since then.
Finally, in a sleek, rapid number, “Money Money,” Yo Yo Honey Singh, who also wrote and composed the song, soaks the screen with his slick moves and provocative lyrics. Released on April 22, the party number has already breached 26 million views.
Both outnumber the 14-minute mark to give you a diverse sampling of the music, which, as individual tracks, sound both like stories and commercials while broadening the movie’s life in digital space.
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How to Watch the Raid 2 Movie
As of now, the Raid 2 movie is running at the theatres and maybe it lasts for few weeks in the cinema, but after that you can watch it at an OTT platform, which is not yet revealed, maybe JioHotstar, as the first part is available there, or a new partners such as Amazon Prime Videos, or Netflix. But anyway, you have to buy a subscription for access to the movie, which is less than the cinema cost, after which you can watch and download the Raid 2 movie and even other movies available on the OTT platform.
So, there is no news currently regarding the OTT platform. To get updates, you can follow the announcements from the production house, or maybe we will update it here after its OTT release. So, stay tuned.
