‘Drushyam 2’ movie review: Jeethu Joseph makes this faithful remake worthwhile

Director Jeethu Joseph recreates his brilliant narrative with the same earnestness for Telugu. Despite the deja vu of a scene-to-scene remake, ‘Drushyam 2’ is watchable and supported by an able cast

To begin with, let’s address the obvious. This is the nth remake in Telugu cinema this year. The question remains about the relevance of remakes in a digital era when the originals are easily available to watch on OTT. Drushyam 2, the remake of the Malayalam film Drishyam 2 (which also premiered on the same digital platform earlier this year), takes a direct digital route to release on Amazon Prime Video. The digital release has been prompted by business-driven reasons, considering that a large section of the audience has not patronised the theatres post lockdowns.

The remake follows the same trajectory as the original and is nearly a scene-to-scene recreation. Director Jeethu Joseph and cinematographer Sateesh Kurup do the honours for the sequel remake (the 2014 Drushyam was directed by Sripriya and filmed by S Gopal Reddy).

How much one enjoys Drushyam 2 depends on whether one has watched the original. The jaw-dropping twists in a crime thriller masquerading as a ‘simple family story’, to quote the protagonist’s words, may not evoke the same reaction for those who know the story. The conversations in the neighbourhood, on the streets, and in a nondescript eatery are all the same.