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Dhoom 2

2006 action thriller film by Sanjay Gadhvi From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dhoom 2
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Not to be confused with Doom II: Hell on Earth.

Dhoom 2 (transl. Blast 2), also known as Dhoom 2: Back in Action, is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Sanjay Gadhvi and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films. Written by Vijay Krishna Acharya from a story by Chopra, it serves as a sequel to Dhoom (2004) and the second installment in the Dhoom franchise. The film stars Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu, and Uday Chopra. The narrative follows a series of high-profile heists carried out by the elusive thief Aryan (Roshan), and the attempts by police officers Jai Dixit (Bachchan) and Ali (Chopra) to apprehend him, culminating in a cat-and-mouse chase that spans multiple continents.[4][5]

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Principal photography took place in India, South Africa (Durban), and Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), making it the first major Hindi film to be shot extensively in Brazil. The soundtrack was composed by Pritam with lyrics by Sameer, and the action choreography was handled by Allan Amin. The film was noted for its stylized visuals, elaborate stunt sequences, and glamorous presentation.

Released theatrically on 24 November 2006, Dhoom 2 received positive reviews from critics, with praise directed at its action set-pieces, cinematography, soundtrack, and performances—particularly that of Roshan—though some criticism was aimed at the screenplay and pacing. The film emerged as a major commercial success, grossing over ₹1.514 billion worldwide. It became the highest grossing Hindi film of 2006 and held the record for the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time of its release, until it was surpassed by Om Shanti Om (2007). Internationally, it was the second highest-grossing Hindi film of the year after Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), which also co-starred Bachchan.[4][5]

At the 52nd Filmfare Awards, Dhoom 2 received eight nominations, including Best Film, Best Director (Gadhvi) and Best Actress (Rai), and won Best Actor (Roshan). The film marked the second collaboration between Roshan and Bachchan after Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (2003), and the fourth between Bachchan and Rai. It was during the making of the film that Rai and Bachchan began dating; they married the following year.

Following its release, the film generated some controversy when Mumbai police officials expressed concern that its depiction of high-speed motorcycle stunts might encourage reckless driving among youth. Despite this, Dhoom 2 was widely credited with raising the bar for action films in India and redefining the modern Bollywood blockbuster.

A sequel, Dhoom 3, was released on 20 December 2013. In later interviews, Abhishek Bachchan cited Dhoom 2 as his favorite entry in the franchise.[6]

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Plot

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In the Namib Desert, an elusive international thief known only as “Mr. A” skydives onto a moving train carrying Queen Elizabeth II. Disguising himself as the Queen, he steals her crown, overpowers the guards, and escapes. In response, ACP Jai Dixit and SI Ali Akbar Khan are assigned to the case, working alongside Shonali Bose, a special officer and Jai’s former colleague.

Jai begins analyzing Mr. A’s heists and concludes that the next target will be a rare diamond housed in one of two major museums in Mumbai. While guarding one, he discovers a fake artifact and realizes the actual heist is occurring at the second museum. There, Mr. A—disguised first as a statue and then a security guard—successfully steals the diamond.

Mr. A prepares to leave the country but learns from a televised broadcast that someone else is impersonating him and has challenged the authorities to prevent the theft of a priceless warrior sword. At the exhibition, Mr. A confronts the impostor—revealed to be Sunehri, an ambitious thief who idolizes him. Although reluctant at first, he agrees to form a partnership with her after testing her commitment.

The duo relocates to Rio de Janeiro to plan their next heist. Jai and Ali, having deduced the pattern in Mr. A’s movements, follow them to Brazil and meet Monali, Shonali’s twin sister, who develops a romantic relationship with Ali. Meanwhile, Sunehri meets with Jai in secret, revealing her alliance with Mr. A is part of an undercover operation in exchange for immunity. Though initially following orders, she begins to develop genuine feelings for Aryan—Mr. A’s real identity.

During Rio Carnival, Aryan discovers Sunehri’s betrayal after seeing her with Jai. That night, he confronts her and later challenges her to a game of Russian roulette to test her loyalty. The gun is empty, and Sunehri confesses her love for him. The pair proceed with a heist, stealing ancient Lydian coins while disguised as street performers and schoolchildren.

As Jai realizes Sunehri has defected, he and Ali pursue the couple. The chase culminates atop a waterfall, where Aryan and Jai engage in a fight. At Aryan’s behest, Sunehri shoots him, allowing Jai to believe the threat has been neutralized. Jai releases Sunehri, stating that her punishment is to live alone with the consequences of her choices.

Six months later, Aryan and Sunehri are revealed to be alive and living under new identities in Fiji, running a restaurant. Jai visits them and acknowledges their transformation, expressing no intention to arrest them as their criminal personas are now "dead." Aryan gives Jai access to the artifacts he had stolen. Jai departs, warning the couple not to return to crime. The film ends with Aryan and Sunehri leading a reformed life, while Jai and Ali return to India for their next assignment.

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Cast

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Production

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Development

Following the commercial success of Dhoom (2004), Yash Raj Films announced a sequel titled Dhoom 2 – Back in Action.[8] While the original film was positively received by audiences,[9][10] it drew mixed-to-negative reviews from critics.[11] Seeking to expand the franchise and avoid narrative repetition, producer Yash Chopra decided not to continue the storyline of the first film’s antagonist, Kabir Sharma (portrayed by John Abraham). Instead, a new heist-centered plot was developed with different lead villains and an international setting.

To distinguish the sequel from its predecessor, director Sanjay Gadhvi emphasized a more global aesthetic and reduced reliance on motorcycle-based stunts, which had been a hallmark of the original film.[12] The sequel’s scope was broader, incorporating elaborate action sequences, diverse international locations, and high-end visual effects. Production took approximately 18 months and had an estimated budget of ₹350 million.[2]

Casting

Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai were introduced in Dhoom 2 as the central antagonists. Rai’s character, Sunehri, was described as a "Catwoman"-like figure—stylized, agile, and morally ambiguous.[13] She described the role as a departure from her previous work, noting it required an entirely different attitude and screen presence.[13] At producer Aditya Chopra’s request, Rai underwent a physical transformation to align with the role's requirements, having gained weight for her prior film Bride and Prejudice (2004).[14] Yash Chopra stated that Rai, like Esha Deol in the first installment, was given a detailed character brief and preparation plan to achieve the necessary look and persona.[13]

Hrithik Roshan, who portrayed the elusive thief Aryan (Mr. A), also underwent physical changes for the role, losing five kilograms at Chopra’s request to achieve a leaner appearance suited to the character’s agility and stunt-heavy demands.[15]

With the exception of John Abraham and Esha Deol, the primary cast from Dhoom—Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra, and Rimi Sen—returned to reprise their respective roles.

Filming

Principal photography for Dhoom 2 took place across multiple locations, including Mumbai (India), Namibia, Durban (South Africa), and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).[16][17] It became the first major Hindi film to be shot in Brazil.[14] The production focused heavily on stylized action sequences that required advanced stunt choreography and digital effects. While Dhoom was noted for its motorcycle stunts, Dhoom 2 featured a more varied set of action elements, including roller-blading, sand boarding, and snow-boarding.[12]

The film made extensive use of visual effects and green screen technology. Scenes involving stunts on a train in the Namib Desert were filmed in-studio using green screen; director Sanjay Gadhvi later filmed the desert landscape separately to integrate with Hrithik Roshan’s performances.[14] Stunt doubles were used in several sequences, with their faces digitally replaced in post-production to match the lead actors.

Production was briefly delayed due to a flood that damaged sets at Yash Raj Studios.[14] Despite this, visual effects remained central to the film's execution. Tata Elxsi was engaged for pre-visualization and digital effects, including bullet trajectories, animated gadgets, and Roshan’s mechanical arm.[18] Certain action scenes, such as Abhishek Bachchan's exit from a lake on a jet ski, were digitally altered to meet Gadhvi’s visual expectations.[19]

Gadhvi spoke about the emphasis on planning and pre-visualization during production:

We've done animation and pre-visualization for all the action sequences in Dhoom 2 and that is very important in terms of planning, cost effectiveness and also it's a new way of preparing for the shoot and the film especially which is as set on such a large canvas such as Dhoom 2. In Dhoom, we had all the action sequences broken down and written. In this movie, we had very big action sequences, so we had all the scenes storyboarded, and they would be checked, double checked and triple checked by myself, Alan Amin, and Adi, and we would then rectify if needed, and that would be our level of planning.[19]

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Soundtrack

Main article: Dhoom 2 (soundtrack)

The soundtrack of Dhoom 2 was composed by Pritam, with lyrics by Sameer. The track "Dhoom Again" features English-language lyrics written by Asif Ali Beg, making it one of the few songs in the album primarily in English. The remaining tracks predominantly feature Hindi lyrics with occasional English phrases.[20]

Upon release, the soundtrack received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its energy and contemporary production, while others criticized its lack of lyrical depth. However, the music was well received by audiences and became a commercial success. According to Box Office India, it was the best-selling Bollywood soundtrack of 2006.[21]

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Release

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Dhoom 2 was released theatrically on 24 November 2006 and received the widest release in Indian cinema at the time, with over 1,800 prints, including approximately 250 digital copies.[2] The high anticipation surrounding the film led to elevated ticket prices in several markets. The film’s release was accompanied by strong audience turnout and extensive media coverage.

Shortly after the film’s release, Mumbai’s police commissioner raised concerns about the depiction of high-speed stunts and reckless motorcycle riding in the film. Authorities feared the scenes could influence young viewers and lead to an increase in traffic violations and road accidents.[22] As a result, the commissioner appealed for certain sequences to be censored, although no formal action was taken.[23]

While the heists depicted in the film were fictional and not inspired by real-life crimes—unlike those in Dhoom (2004)—Dhoom 2 allegedly influenced a robbery in which a man was mugged by his nephew, who emulated Hrithik Roshan’s attire from the film.[24] In a separate instance, actress Aishwarya Rai received legal notices from some viewers objecting to a kissing scene with Roshan, marking one of the few controversies associated with the film’s content.[25]

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Marketing

The teaser trailer for Dhoom 2 premiered alongside the theatrical release of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna on 11 August 2006.[26] The film was promoted through multiple brand tie-ins. Coca-Cola launched a campaign titled “Coke Uthale, Dhoom Machale” in association with the film.[2] Clothing brand Pepe Jeans collaborated with the film to release a range of themed apparel including T-shirts, jeans, caps, and accessories.[27] Chetan Shah, country head of Pepe Jeans London, described the film’s cast and style as aligning with the brand’s “young, cool, trendy” image.[27]

The film also inspired two video game adaptations developed by FXLabs: Dhoom 2 (2007) and Dhoom 2.5 (2008).[28][29]

While promoting the film, Hrithik Roshan publicly retracted earlier remarks he had made about co-star Aishwarya Rai, admitting he had underestimated her acting abilities. Their performance in Dhoom 2 led to further collaborations in Jodhaa Akbar (2008) and Guzaarish (2010), establishing them as a popular on-screen pairing in contemporary Hindi cinema.[30]

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Reception

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Box office

Dhoom 2 opened to record-breaking collections across India and overseas. In its opening week, the film grossed ₹66 million in Mumbai and ₹179 million nationwide, delivering a distributor profit of ₹94 million in Mumbai alone.[31][32] Box Office India classified the film as a "blockbuster," with a net domestic collection of ₹803 million and a worldwide gross of approximately ₹1.5 billion against a budget of ₹350 million.[33][34][35][2] At the time of its release, it became the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time and remains among the top-grossing films in India (unadjusted for inflation).[36]

In North America, Dhoom 2 debuted in 63 theatres and grossed US$979,000 over its three-day opening weekend (US$1.3 million over four days), ranking seventeenth at the American box office and achieving the third-largest opening for a Bollywood film in the region at the time.[37] It went on to earn a total of US$2.64 million in the United States and approximately US$8.75 million across overseas markets, including strong performances in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Australia, and New Zealand.[37][35][32]

At the UK box office, it ranked sixth among international films during its opening weekend, with an average per-screen gross of £8,151.[38] In Australia, the film debuted with approximately A$176,462,[39][40] while in New Zealand, it grossed NZ$51,453 on five screens..[39][41] In Dubai, Dhoom 2 recorded the highest first-day opening for a Bollywood release at the time.[5]

Critical response

Dhoom 2 received generally positive reviews from both Indian and international critics. Praise was directed at the film’s action sequences, styling, soundtrack, and performances—particularly that of Hrithik Roshan—though the screenplay and narrative depth received some criticism.

India

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama awarded the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it “a winner all the way” and predicted it would be among the biggest hits for Yash Raj Films.[42] Rajesh Karkera of Rediff.com gave the film 3.5 stars, describing it as a “complete roller-coaster ride,” while acknowledging minor narrative flaws.[43] Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN rated it 3 stars and remarked that Roshan was "the heart and soul of the film," making it superior to its predecessor.[44]

International

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Dhoom 2 holds a 93% approval rating based on 14 reviews, with an average score of 7/10.[45]

In Variety, the film was described as being "loaded with enough attitude, Bollywood star-power and buff bodies to stop a speeding train," affirming Yash Raj Films’ range beyond romantic dramas.[46] Rachel Saltz of The New York Times praised its “giddy, slick” style and noted that despite narrative limitations, “old-fashioned star power” elevated the film.[47] Ethan Alter of Film Journal International called it “disposable entertainment,” but acknowledged its production quality and star appeal.[48] L.A. Weekly’s David Chute described it as “a movie meal as satisfying as this one [that] can make you feel that nothing else matters.”[45]

Jaspreet Pandohar of the BBC found the plot thin but credited Roshan’s charisma and his chemistry with Aishwarya Rai for keeping the film engaging.[49] BBC Shropshire’s Manish Gajjar remarked that with action sequences on par with Hollywood standards, Dhoom 2 was “a winner all the way at the box office.”[50]

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Accolades

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Home media

Dhoom 2 was released on DVD in February 2007 by Yash Raj Films. The international edition was issued as a two-disc set for all regions, while a single-disc version was made available for Region 1 markets, including North America.[58][59] The DVD included special features such as behind-the-scenes footage, music videos, and cast interviews. The film was later released on Blu-ray in December 2009, featuring high-definition visuals and remastered audio.[60]

Sequel

Main article: Dhoom 3

See also

References

External links

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