Vaazha 2 Review: Humour And Emotions Drive This Coming-Of-Age Story

When Vaazha - Biopic of a Billion Boys was released in 2024, its humour-filled story of five aimless young boys took audiences by storm. The feel-good film by director Vipin Das was extremely relatable, given its setting of school and college life, friendships, parents, teachers, romances, and, of course, rivalries. The movie was a smashing success, and it is no surprise that Vipin Das has followed it up with Vaazha 2, directed by Savin SA.

There is a line in Vaazha 2 - "We are not useless, we are just not used yet" - delivered by one of the young boys, and it neatly sums up the story. The film follows the male friendship of four schoolboys in a town in Kerala who lead rather aimless lives riddled with failure. Vinayak, aka Vinu, and Ajin are friends whose rivalry with Alan and Hashir turns into friendship at a cinema hall. Once they form a gang, there is no stopping them. Like most boys their age, they frequently get into trouble at school and at home, earning the wrath of elders.

It is when a particular issue at school spirals out of control, leading to the involvement of parents and the police, that the boys realise adulthood is just around the corner and that they need to change. However, change is not easy for them. They remain unfocused and inconsistent, yet ambitious, dreaming of a future in the United Kingdom.

Vipin Das seamlessly weaves smaller stories around each of the boys within the larger narrative, offering a glimpse into the diverse challenges they face at home. Alan, for instance, has to deal with a rigid religious custom imposed by his devout father, while Ajin struggles with his strict father sending his brother to Dubai to support the family financially. Each boy is weighed down by family and school pressures, which only deepen their sense of aimlessness rather than provide clarity about their future.

Das's writing is sharp in the way real conversations are - not through grand dramatic moments, but through casual cruelty, friendly insults and uncomfortable truths that often emerge as comical situations. For example, teacher Mujeeb's intolerant attitude towards students is hilariously addressed through graffiti in the school toilets. While the first half of the film is light and breezy, filled with humour, the second half shifts towards more emotional, life-altering moments that set the boys on different paths.

Das's understanding of male friendships, particularly during the transition from school to college, is excellent. However, the same cannot be said for female characters. The girls in the film have limited roles and largely exist to support the boys, either as family members or romantic interests. The film also becomes somewhat preachy at times, emphasising the role of parents and teachers in shaping young minds. Writer-director Alphonse Puthren, who appears as a police officer, directly addresses these issues during a major confrontation, calling out the flawed perspectives of both parents and teachers and how they contributed to the boys' situation.

The second half does feel sluggish, as it leans heavily into emotional drama. Tighter editing could have improved the pacing, as several scenes become overly serious, weighed down by lengthy dialogues.

Performance-wise, the cast works beautifully as an ensemble, delivering natural and unforced performances. No single actor dominates the film, which adds to its authenticity. The characters feel like people one might know in real life - not cinematic constructs, but real boys who never quite grew into men because no one showed them how, and real parents struggling to raise them despite their own shortcomings.

Vaazha 2 is not like Vaazha, and that works in its favour. It is both entertaining and emotionally engaging, even if it becomes sermonising in parts. Overall, the Vipin Das film remains a worthwhile watch - one that offers hearty laughs while also giving the audience something to reflect on.