# Indian 2 (இந்தியன் 2)
**Indian 2** (இந்தியன் 2) is a 2024 Indian Tamil-language vigilante action film directed by [S. Shankar](https://www.edgepedia.org/s-shankar) and the sequel to his 1996 film *[Indian](https://www.edgepedia.org/indian-1996-film)*, with [Kamal Haasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kamal-haasan) reprising the role of Senapathy, a freedom fighter turned vigilante who returns from exile to fight corruption in India.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/indian-2-movie-review-kamal-haasan-starrer-is-waste-of-time-9448941/) • [2](https://www.livemint.com/news/trends/kamal-haasans-indian-2-ott-release-date-announced-when-and-where-to-watch-11722778864252.html) It was released in theaters on 12 July 2024 in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi, under the titles *Indian 2*, *Bharateeyudu 2*, and *Hindustani 2* respectively.[3](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/indian-2-review-fans-divided-over-movie-praise-kamal-haasans-performance-shankars-direction-criticised/articleshow/111681961.cms?from=mdr) • [22](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/regional-cinema/story/brahmanandam-imitates-kamal-haasan-at-bharateeyudu-2-indian-2-event-2563653-2024-07-08) • [23](https://telugucinema.com/news/bharateeyudu-2-to-be-released-after-election-results) Despite high expectations, the film received strongly negative reviews and became a major box-office failure.[4](https://tfapa.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/trade-guide-jan-2025_07.01.25_compressed-1.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 12 July 2024, theatrically, in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi[3](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/indian-2-review-fans-divided-over-movie-praise-kamal-haasans-performance-shankars-direction-criticised/articleshow/111681961.cms?from=mdr) |
| Runtime | 3 hours 0 minutes (Rotten Tomatoes listing); trimmed by 20 minutes after release to 2 hours 40 minutes[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/indian_2) • [2](https://www.livemint.com/news/trends/kamal-haasans-indian-2-ott-release-date-announced-when-and-where-to-watch-11722778864252.html) |
| Critical scores | 15% Tomatometer from 13 reviews; 23% Popcornmeter from 100+ audience ratings[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/indian_2) |
| Opening box office | ₹260 million (₹26 crore) in India on day 1; ₹167 million (₹16.7 crore) on day 2[6](https://indianexpress.com/about/indian-2/) |
| Streaming | Netflix from 9 August 2024, in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada[7](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/regional-cinema/story/kamal-haasan-shankar-indian-2-august-9-netflix-2576907-2024-08-05) |
| Principal cast | Kamal Haasan, Siddharth, Rakul Preet Singh, S. J. Suryah, Kajal Aggarwal, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Bobby Simha[2](https://www.livemint.com/news/trends/kamal-haasans-indian-2-ott-release-date-announced-when-and-where-to-watch-11722778864252.html) |
| Music and cinematography | Anirudh Ravichander (music), Ravi Varman (cinematography)[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/shankar-kamal-haasans-indian-2-gets-ott-release-date-fans-ask-for-date-of-films-hindi-version-9494250/lite/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and characters
The story picks up 28 years after the original film, in which Senapathy, a freedom fighter turned vigilante, fought corruption and then disappeared.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/indian-2-movie-review-kamal-haasan-starrer-is-waste-of-time-9448941/) • [9](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/reviews/2024/indian-2-review-disappointing-return-of-vigilante-kamal-haasan-film-falls-short-of-predecessor-406257.html) The sequel opens with Chitra Aravindan (Siddharth) and his team, who run a YouTube channel called Barking Dogs that produces satirical videos exposing corruption, using [R. K. Laxman](https://www.edgepedia.org/r-k-laxman)'s Common Man figure.[10](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tamil-cinema/indian-2-movie-review-kamal-haasan-film-visually-striking-but-filled-with-political-sermons-101720774621681-amp.html) • [11](https://www.theweek.in/review/movies/2024/07/12/indian-2-movie-review-an-extremely-boring-and-painful-affair-that-offers-no-takeaways.html) After a young woman dies by suicide and the team's protest against a corrupt official leads to their arrest, Chitra trends the hashtag #ComeBackIndian to summon Senapathy.[10](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tamil-cinema/indian-2-movie-review-kamal-haasan-film-visually-striking-but-filled-with-political-sermons-101720774621681-amp.html)
Senapathy is found in Taipei, where he runs a martial arts school, and he returns to India, evading CBI officers who are looking for him.[10](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tamil-cinema/indian-2-movie-review-kamal-haasan-film-visually-striking-but-filled-with-political-sermons-101720774621681-amp.html) Unlike the first film, in which Senapathy acted alone, the sequel uses social media as a central tool, with a group of young influencers taking part in the anti-corruption campaign.[12](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/07/12/indian-2-tamil-movie-review-kamal-haasan-siddharth-shankar.amp.html) The action scenes center on the traditional Tamil martial art Varma Kalai.[12](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/07/12/indian-2-tamil-movie-review-kamal-haasan-siddharth-shankar.amp.html)
## Production history
**A troubled shoot.** [Pre-production](https://www.edgepedia.org/pre-production) began in September 2017, with filming planned from May 2018 on a budget that Shankar stated was set at ₹2.7 billion (₹270 crore) and reduced to ₹2.5 billion (₹250 crore) at the request of the production company Lyca Productions.[13](https://www.dailythanthi.com/cinema/cinemanews/appointment-of-arbitrator-to-resolve-indian-2-film) In February 2020, a crane accident on the set at EVP Studios in Chennai killed three people, including an assistant director, and filming was suspended for more than a year.[14](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/tamilnadu/kamalhaasan-evp-studios-chennai-indian2-accident-kaala-rajinikanth-170685/) • [15](https://tamil.samayam.com/tamil-cinema/movie-news/indian-2-delay-shankar-points-fingers-at-lyca-and-kamal-haasan/articleshow/82565809.cms/)
The production was also interrupted by disagreements between Shankar and Lyca Productions, which filed a case in the [Madras High Court](https://www.edgepedia.org/madras-high-court) seeking to restrain the director from making other films before completing *Indian 2*; the court appointed a retired Supreme Court judge as arbitrator to resolve the dispute.[13](https://www.dailythanthi.com/cinema/cinemanews/appointment-of-arbitrator-to-resolve-indian-2-film) Shooting resumed after the 2019 general election, was halted again during the COVID-19 period, and [Red Giant Movies](https://www.edgepedia.org/red-giant-movies) later joined as a co-producer.[16](https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/tamil/articles/c2x0rmpxz80o) Shankar directed [Ram Charan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ram-charan)'s *Game Changer* in parallel from around August 2022.[17](https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/944943-indian-2-shooting-work-resumes-30-days-long-schedule-planned.html)
**A two-part structure.** Because the footage shot for *Indian 2* was extensive, Shankar planned to use the material for an additional part, and *Indian 3*, which traces the story of Senapathy and his father, was filmed at the same time.[18](https://cinema.dinamalar.com/news/kollywood/x/117462) • [8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/shankar-kamal-haasans-indian-2-gets-ott-release-date-fans-ask-for-date-of-films-hindi-version-9494250/lite/) *Indian 2* is therefore the first part of a duology, and glimpses of *Indian 3* were attached to it; some viewers felt the story could have been compressed into one film.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/shankar-kamal-haasans-indian-2-gets-ott-release-date-fans-ask-for-date-of-films-hindi-version-9494250/lite/)
## Reception
**Critical response.** The film opened to strongly negative reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes it holds a 15% Tomatometer from 13 critics and a 23% Popcornmeter score from more than 100 audience ratings.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/indian_2) Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave it 1 out of 5, writing that Kamal Haasan's prosthetics were still annoying and that the film takes itself and its hero so seriously that the original's humor is missed.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/indian-2-movie-review-kamal-haasan-starrer-is-waste-of-time-9448941/) Reviewers criticized the pacing, the heavy-handed political commentary, and prosthetic and face-replacement work for the late actors [Nedumudi Venu](https://www.edgepedia.org/nedumudi-venu) and Vivek, while some noted the cinematography, lavish sets, and use of AI as strengths.[9](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/reviews/2024/indian-2-review-disappointing-return-of-vigilante-kamal-haasan-film-falls-short-of-predecessor-406257.html) • [10](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tamil-cinema/indian-2-movie-review-kamal-haasan-film-visually-striking-but-filled-with-political-sermons-101720774621681-amp.html) A minority of reviews were more positive: Onmanorama called the film relevant for the times and praised Siddharth's performance and the second half's pace.[12](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/07/12/indian-2-tamil-movie-review-kamal-haasan-siddharth-shankar.amp.html)
**Box office.** Advance bookings stood at ₹109.8 million (₹10.98 crore), with [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu) contributing almost 70 percent of that total.[19](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/indian-2-release-review-live-updates-kamal-haasan-shankar-9447395/lite/) The film earned ₹260 million (₹26 crore) in India on its first day, short of the opening of Haasan's earlier *Vikram*, and collections dipped on the second day to ₹167 million (₹16.7 crore).[6](https://indianexpress.com/about/indian-2/) The Tamil Film Active Producers Association's trade guide described the big Monday drop as a clear sign the film had failed to meet expectations, and its January 2025 review of the year called *Indian 2* an unfortunate disaster at the box office despite the industry's hopes for the Shankar–Kamal Haasan combination.[4](https://tfapa.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/trade-guide-jan-2025_07.01.25_compressed-1.pdf)
**Streaming.** Netflix announced on 4 August 2024 that the film would stream from 9 August, less than a month after its theatrical release, in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada; no date was announced for the Hindi version at that time.[7](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/regional-cinema/story/kamal-haasan-shankar-indian-2-august-9-netflix-2576907-2024-08-05) • [8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/shankar-kamal-haasans-indian-2-gets-ott-release-date-fans-ask-for-date-of-films-hindi-version-9494250/lite/) [Satellite](https://www.edgepedia.org/satellite) rights were secured by Kalaignar TV.[20](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/indian-2/ott.html)
## Aftermath
In December 2024, Shankar spoke publicly about the failure for the first time, saying he had tried to convey a good thought, that the idea that a clean home makes a clean nation was important, even if questions remained about how to put it into practice.[21](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/shankar-breaks-silence-on-indian-2-failure-i-tried-to-convey-a-good-thought-8542896) As of the sources available, no official release date for *Indian 3* had been announced, though Shankar and Kamal Haasan had said it was likely to arrive about six months after *Indian 2*.[7](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/regional-cinema/story/kamal-haasan-shankar-indian-2-august-9-netflix-2576907-2024-08-05)
## References
1. [Shubhra Gupta, "Indian 2 movie review: Outmoded and outdated, Kamal Haasan-starrer is a three-hour time suck", The Indian Express, 12 July 2024](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/indian-2-movie-review-kamal-haasan-starrer-is-waste-of-time-9448941/)
2. ["Indian 2 OTT release date announced: When and where to watch Kamal Haasan-starrer?", Livemint, 5 August 2024](https://www.livemint.com/news/trends/kamal-haasans-indian-2-ott-release-date-announced-when-and-where-to-watch-11722778864252.html)
3. ["'Indian 2' review: Fans divided over movie praise Kamal Haasan's performance; Shankar's direction criticised", The Economic Times, 12 July 2024](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/indian-2-review-fans-divided-over-movie-praise-kamal-haasans-performance-shankars-direction-criticised/articleshow/111681961.cms?from=mdr)
4. ["Hits and Misses of 2024 for Tamil Cinema", Tamil Cinema Trade Guide, January 2025](https://tfapa.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/trade-guide-jan-2025_07.01.25_compressed-1.pdf)
5. [Indian 2, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/indian_2)
6. [Indian 2: Cast, Story, Release Date, Reviews & Latest Updates, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/about/indian-2/)
7. [Janani K, "Kamal Haasan's 'Indian 2' to be out on OTT: Check date and streaming platform", India Today, 5 August 2024](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/regional-cinema/story/kamal-haasan-shankar-indian-2-august-9-netflix-2576907-2024-08-05)
8. ["Shankar-Kamal Haasan's Indian 2 gets OTT release date", The Indian Express, 4 August 2024](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/shankar-kamal-haasans-indian-2-gets-ott-release-date-fans-ask-for-date-of-films-hindi-version-9494250/lite/)
9. ["Indian 2 Review Ratings: Disappointing Return Of Vigilante", Filmibeat, 2024](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/reviews/2024/indian-2-review-disappointing-return-of-vigilante-kamal-haasan-film-falls-short-of-predecessor-406257.html)
10. [Latha Srinivasan, "Indian 2 movie review: Kamal Haasan's film is visually striking, but filled with political sermons", Hindustan Times, 12 July 2024](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tamil-cinema/indian-2-movie-review-kamal-haasan-film-visually-striking-but-filled-with-political-sermons-101720774621681-amp.html)
11. ["'Indian 2' movie review: An extremely boring and painful affair that offers no takeaways", The Week, 12 July 2024](https://www.theweek.in/review/movies/2024/07/12/indian-2-movie-review-an-extremely-boring-and-painful-affair-that-offers-no-takeaways.html)
12. [Princy Alexander, "'Indian 2' review: This Shankar-Kamal Haasan film is relevant for the times we live in", Onmanorama, 12 July 2024](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/07/12/indian-2-tamil-movie-review-kamal-haasan-siddharth-shankar.amp.html)
13. ["இந்தியன்-2 பட விவகாரத்தில் தீர்வு காண மத்தியஸ்தர் நியமனம் - ஐகோர்ட்டு உத்தரவு", Daily Thanthi](https://www.dailythanthi.com/cinema/cinemanews/appointment-of-arbitrator-to-resolve-indian-2-film)
14. ["இந்தியன் 2 படப்பிடிப்பில் விபத்து நடந்தது எப்படி?", Tamil Indian Express](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/tamilnadu/kamalhaasan-evp-studios-chennai-indian2-accident-kaala-rajinikanth-170685/)
15. ["indian 2 delay: shankar points fingers at lyca and kamal haasan", Samayam Tamil](https://tamil.samayam.com/tamil-cinema/movie-news/indian-2-delay-shankar-points-fingers-at-lyca-and-kamal-haasan/articleshow/82565809.cms/)
16. ["இந்தியன்-2: கமல் ரஜினிக்காக உருவான கதைக்குள் வந்தது எப்படி?", BBC News தமிழ்](https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/tamil/articles/c2x0rmpxz80o)
17. ["மீண்டும் தொடங்கியது 'இந்தியன் 2' படப்பிடிப்பு!", Hindu Tamil Thisai](https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/944943-indian-2-shooting-work-resumes-30-days-long-schedule-planned.html)
18. ["இந்தியன்-2வை தொடர்ந்து இந்தியன்-3 படத்திலும் நடித்து வரும் கமல்ஹாசன்", Dinamalar, 9 November 2023](https://cinema.dinamalar.com/news/kollywood/x/117462)
19. ["Indian 2 Release and Review highlights", The Indian Express, 12 July 2024](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/indian-2-release-review-live-updates-kamal-haasan-shankar-9447395/lite/)
20. [Indian 2 OTT Release: Streaming Platform, Satellite Rights, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/indian-2/ott.html)
21. ["இந்தியன் 2 தோல்வி: நான் மகிழ்ச்சியாக இருக்கிறேன்; மனம் திறந்த ஷங்கர!", Tamil Indian Express, 20 December 2024](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/shankar-breaks-silence-on-indian-2-failure-i-tried-to-convey-a-good-thought-8542896)
22. [Video: Actor Brahmanandam imitates Kamal Haasan at 'Bharateeyudu 2' event](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/regional-cinema/story/brahmanandam-imitates-kamal-haasan-at-bharateeyudu-2-indian-2-event-2563653-2024-07-08)
23. [‘Bharateeyudu 2’ to be released after election results](https://telugucinema.com/news/bharateeyudu-2-to-be-released-after-election-results)
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*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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