What’s it about?
Laddu (Vishnu Oi) is set to get married, but his uninvited friends—the MAD trio, Manoj (Ram Nithiin), Ashok (Narne Nithiin), and Damodar (Sangeeth Shobhan)—show up, much to his dismay. Laddu believes their presence is a bad omen.
As the pre-wedding celebrations hit a peak, chaos ensues when the bride elopes with a guest. To lift Laddu’s spirits, his friends plan a trip to Goa. There, Manoj hires a woman named Laila (Priyanka Jawalkar) to cheer him up, but this decision lands them in trouble with local don Max (Sunil).
The rest of the film follows their attempts to escape from Max and rescue Laddu’s kidnapped father.
Analysis
MAD (2023) was a madcap entertainer that became a massive hit due to its outrageous humor. Despite a thin storyline, its laugh-out-loud moments and energetic execution won over audiences. Now, its sequel, Mad Square, arrives promising double the fun—but ironically, the humor isn’t even half as effective as the original.
Yes, there are jokes, and a few land well—especially the witty one-liners during Laddu’s wedding sequence. However, unlike the first film, the comedy doesn’t feel organic. The humor in the Goa segments falls flat, and the absurdity often turns into sheer randomness, with many punchlines failing to hit the mark.
While “Mad Square” was never expected to have a strong story or logic, the film’s publicity suggested it would at least match the first part in terms of humor. Unfortunately, most of the comedy fizzles out, making it a far less engaging experience.
At just 2 hours and 10 minutes, “Mad Square” should feel brisk, but with a non-existent script and an overload of songs—including two item numbers—it drags more than expected.
Comedian Vishnu Oi gets more screen time and delivers his best, particularly in his scenes with Muralidhar Goud. Narne Nithiin shines in the climax, while Sangeeth Shobhan plays DD with ease. Ram Nithiin is passable. Priyanka Jawalkar, in a minor role, makes an impression. Sunil as Max is occasionally funny. Subhalekha Sudhakar and Satyam Rajesh are adequate. Anudeep’s signature deadpan lines offer brief chuckles.
The songs are loud and forgettable, and the film doesn’t have much to boast about technically. Director Kalyan Shankar seems to have put less effort into the script this time around.
Bottom-line: “Mad Square” is a passable time-killer but falls short of its promise. It never comes close to the original in terms of humor, with only a handful of jokes working. A patchy sequel.
Rating: 2.75/5
By Jalapathy Gudelli
Movie: Mad Square
Cast: Narne Nithiin, Sangeeth Shobhan, Ram Nitin, Priyanka Jawalkar, Reba John, Muralidhar Gowd and others
Music: Bheems Ceciroleo
Background score: Thaman
DOP: Shamdat
Editor: Navin Nooli
Production Designer: Sri Nagendra Tangala
Presenter: S. Naga Vamsi
Producers: Haarika Suryadevara and Sai Soujanya
Written and Directed by: Kalyan Shankar
Release Date: March 28, 2025
