About Gatta Kusthi 2
Released in 2022, Gatta Kusthi relied on humour to explore how a man and woman perceive each other differently in society. Its sequel takes the story forward while revisiting the same central theme.
Gatta Kusthi 2 Movie Review: Story
The film begins with Veera (Vishnu Vishal) and Keerthi (Aishwarya Lekshmi) living in a city, where they are raising their young daughter. While Keerthi is busy pursuing her wrestling career, Veera has taken on the responsibility of managing the household, making him earn the title of a househusband.
Their differing roles at home also shape the way they raise their daughter, often leading to arguments. While Veera wants their daughter to lead a regular school-going life, Keerthi wants her to follow in her footsteps as a wrestler and enrols her in rigorous training.
In an attempt to change Keerthi’s rigid approach, Veera seeks help from her coach, who secretly wishes for her downfall. He manipulates Veera and makes him add steroids to her food. Unaware of this, Keerthi begins consuming them, which eventually affects her performance in a wrestling match. She blames Veera for her failure. The rest of the story follows Veera as he tries to prove his innocence and win her back.
Gatta Kusthi 2: Direction and Screenplay
The film’s biggest strength lies in the way it revisits the central theme of the first instalment: what happens when a couple reverse traditional gender roles?
For instance, there is a scene in which the couple’s daughter says the food prepared by her mother is not palatable and that she misses her father’s cooking. In another scene, when the child performs poorly at school, the blame falls on the father because he stays at home. These scenes reflect society’s expectation that women should manage the household while excelling at every domestic responsibility. By reversing the gender roles, the film raises uncomfortable yet important questions.
Director Chella Ayyavu deserves credit for challenging these stereotypes. Another strength is the way the story connects organically with the first film. The portions where Karunas’ character discovers his wife’s educational qualifications and feels emasculated by her achievements are both natural and hilarious. The subtle message encouraging women to learn self-defence is another welcome addition.
However, the film’s progressive ideas take a back seat when the story adopts a soap-opera treatment. Not only does the plot become melodramatic, but some of the supporting characters also feel like they are made to appear without adding meaning to the story. A few scenes feel unnecessary, particularly those involving a teacher whose sole purpose appears to be adding glamour to the narrative.
The portions dealing with domestic violence are also inconsistent. The film neither fully condemns nor meaningfully questions it, leaving its stance unclear. Additionally, the child is written to speak and behave far beyond her years, falling into a commercial cinema trope.
Gatta Kusthi 2 Movie Review: Performances
Aishwarya Lekshmi delivers a confident performance as the wrestler, convincingly portraying a strong and determined woman. Vishnu Vishal is equally effective as a househusband, embracing the role with conviction, and ease. He shows the world that he is happy to take a back seat and enjoy his life on his terms.
Munishkanth, Kaali Venkat and Karunas, who were among the highlights of the first film, once again emerge as some of the sequel’s biggest strengths. Their scenes provide many of the film’s biggest laughs and inject much-needed humour into an otherwise predictable narrative. Ramya Krishnan’s cameo appearance also adds value to the story.
Gatta Kusthi 2: Final Verdict
Gatta Kusthi 2 will appeal to audiences who enjoyed the first film and its brand of humour. Vishnu Vishal and Aishwarya Lekshmi’s on-screen chemistry, coupled with the well-executed wrestling sequences, makes for an entertaining watch.