In the cinematic world of Indian 2, with the direction of Shankar featuring Kamal Haasan, there’s a bit of a tweak – about 12 minutes of the movie got snipped off. This film saw its big screen debut on July 12.
Kamal Haasan’s Indian 2 premiered on the silver screens last Friday, but audiences mostly gave it thumbs down. The sequel to S Shankar’s 1996 hit action flick came out 18 long years later, but it left fans disheartened as they found it too dragged and lacking depth. To remedy the critique, Lyca Productions has taken a step to shave off a 12-minute chunk from the film, and it’s this compressed version that will take over cinema screenings. Read on to find more details.
On Wednesday, Lyca Productions made an official announcement on their X account (previously known as Twitter), indicating a modification in their movie’s runtime. The bulletin read, “We’ve paid attention to your voices! The length of Indian 2 has been trimmed down by 12 minutes! Don’t miss the concise edition at a theatre near you! (sic).”
Take a look at the post:
Witness the enhanced version of #Indian2 ✂️ Now presenting a streamlined edition trimmed by 12 min. Catch it in cinemas near you for a crisper experience! @IndianTheMovie Ulaganayagan @ikamalhaasan @shankarshanmugh #Siddharth @actorsimha @anirudhofficial @dop_ravivarman… pic.twitter.com/0reMKOvMIe
— Lyca Productions (@LycaProductions) July 17, 2024
The caption of the post read, “Witness the enhanced version of #Indian2 (scissors emoticon). Now presenting a streamlined edition trimmed by 12 min. Catch it in cinemas near you for a crisper experience! (sic).”
Take a look what netizens say:
By the way who asked you to trim??
— ⚡️ABHI⚡️ (@theAbhiOffl) July 17, 2024
We need 100% trimming and will watch Indian 3 trailer only
— Karnati Venkata Reddy (@cavenkat8) July 17, 2024
I require one half of trimming and insertion part 3 in 2nd half
— MVN (@mvn_cr7_sc30) July 17, 2024
If you had really heard us, you would’ve trimmed atleast 2:30 hours of it
— Dravidian Professor (@Dravidian_Prof) July 17, 2024
Do Release in OTT. Theatrical run is finished
— (@rajini_mano) July 17, 2024
Shankar shared his thoughts with India Today regarding the impact of high-budget films on his creative process. He stressed that his driving force isn’t to outdo his previous works but rather to focus on projects that spark his interest. According to him, success in the film industry paves the way for the introduction of fresh ideas in Indian cinema. Even when dealing with big-budget productions, the compelling narrative of ‘Indian 2’ triumphed over the desire to create a film grander than 2.0. While Indian 2 carries a hefty budget, it is less showy compared to 2.0. For Shankar, the essential aspect of Indian 2 was the need to share its unique story.
About Indian 2
Indian 2, a cinematic creation co-crafted by Lyca Productions and Red Giant Movies, brings back Kamal Haasan to portray the much-loved character, Senapathy – fondly known to fans as ‘Indian Thatha’. He bravely fights corruption using an ancient form of Indian Martial arts, ‘varma kalai’. The movie boasts a star-studded ensemble that includes talented actors like Samuthirakani, Bobby Simha, Kajal Aggarwal, Siddharth, Rakul Preet Singh, and Priya Bhavani Shankar.
The film started off with a bang in cinema halls for the first three days, but surprisingly saw a drastic drop in audience numbers come its first Monday, with ticket sales plummeting to single digits. Until now, the movie has managed to rake in Rs 65.15 crore in its home ground, India.