Trailer Time: Kamal Haasan Is Back With VISHWAROOPAM 2, Big Budget Terrorism Action

It's been a long time coming, but international audiences will finally see the second part of Indian superstar, Kamal Haasan's Vishwaroopam this August 10th. The first film released in 2013 around the world and created more than its fair share of controversy. Vishwaroopam was banned in its native Tamil Nadu for a couple of weeks after the international release, meaning that audiences outside of the film's target audience were unable to see it at first. The idea was that Haasan's character in the film, a Muslim terrorist/double agent, was insulting to India's Muslim community. which was - of course - nonsense.

Here's a small excerpt from my review upon the first film's review in early 2013:

Vishwaroopam is a film about which I have been very conflicted since the first footage appeared online months ago. The film has been marketed very much as a straight forward action piece with some terrorism elements, not unlike something that Hollywood might churn out. However, the actual film is very much in the Indian anti-terrorism milieu, and much of it is extremely culturally specific in a way that probably won't endear it to foreign audiences. While it does fall prey to a number of common missteps, it does redeem itself from time to time with moments of pure Indian action bliss, and I think that's what puts it over the top for me as a recommendable experience.

That was five years ago, in the meantime the acclaimed writer/actor/director has made plenty of other films as well as recently forming his own political party in Tamil Nadu, in spite of the fact that this film has been more or less finished for a very long time. Just last week eager audiences got their first look at what promises to be another action-packed, over-the-top extravaganza from one of India's most prolific and respected cinema artistes.

Now, just to be honest, I'm a bit put off by the shoddy nature of the VFX in this trailer, especially the airplane shot that opens the thing, but I'm hoping that the audacious nature of the film overcomes its technical shortcomings. Fingers crossed that Vishwaroopam 2 is worth the five year wait! Check out hte trailer below and make your own decision.