Vash Level 2 Review: Why This Gujarati Horror Hit Works Better Than Most Bollywood Scares

When Vash Level 2 released in theaters this August, I walked in curious about how it would follow up the 2023 original. Krishnadev Yagnik returns as director, bringing back Hitu Kanodia, Janki Bodiwala, and Hiten Kumar for this supernatural horror ride. The Gujarati film also got a Hindi version, letting more people experience the scares.

The plot jumps ahead twelve years. Atharva thought he’d saved his daughter Arya from something evil long ago. Turns out, that darkness never really went away. Now it’s back, targeting more victims, and he needs to stop it before things get worse.

A Story That Grabs You Early

From the first frame, this film knows where it’s going. There’s no slow burn here, the horror starts quickly and keeps coming. The villain this time targets schoolgirls, using mind control to make them do disturbing things.

What struck me was how the script handles time. That twelve-year gap matters because we see how unresolved evil grows stronger. The film asks what happens when you think you’ve won but actually haven’t. That question drives everything forward.

Performances That Feel Real

Hitu Kanodia carries much of the emotional weight as Atharv. Watching him play a father who failed once and refuses to fail again felt genuine. His panic isn’t overplayed, it’s the kind you’d actually feel in that situation.

Hiten Kumar scared me more than I expected. His villain doesn’t yell or make big gestures. He’s quiet, calculated, which somehow makes him worse. Janki Bodiwala appears less than before, but when she’s there, you remember why she won that National Award.

Filmmaking That Creates Atmosphere

I noticed the camera choices right away. Yagnik uses angles and movement to make ordinary spaces feel dangerous. The way scenes build toward their scariest moments shows real skill, nothing feels random.

The background score deserves mention too. It doesn’t just blast loud noises at you during jump scares. Instead, it creates this constant unease that sits with you. Combined with the lighting choices, the whole film has this oppressive mood that works.

What This Film Gets Right

The biggest strength here is commitment. The movie wants to disturb you genuinely, not just make you flinch. Every scare feels purposeful, building on what came before rather than resetting each time.

I also appreciated the human element underneath all the supernatural stuff. The father-daughter relationship grounds everything. You’re not just watching random people get terrorized, you’re invested in whether this family can finally break free.

Places It Could Improve

The bigger budget shows in the production design, which looks great. But that expansion comes at a cost. The first film felt more claustrophobic and immediate. This one sometimes loses that intimacy when trying to go larger.

Some characters serve the plot more than feeling like actual people. I wanted more background on certain figures. The villain especially could have used deeper motivation beyond just being evil. Understanding why he does this would have added another layer.

How Others Responded

Critics had mixed but mostly positive reactions. India Today landed at 3 out of 5, describing the experience as disturbing in its rawness. India Forums went higher at 4 out of 5, calling it a rare sequel that actually works.

Regular viewers on IMDb rated it between 7.9 and 8.1. That’s pretty strong audience approval. Social media reactions praised it heavily, with many calling it superior to recent Bollywood horror attempts. People seemed to appreciate getting genuine scares instead of formula.

My Final Take

Vash Level 2 works as horror that takes itself seriously. The commitment to psychological terror over cheap tricks pays off. While I sometimes missed the tighter feel of the original, this sequel has its own identity.

Yagnik proves regional cinema can deliver horror that stands with anything else out there. The performances stay believable even when the plot goes supernatural. The technical work, from sound design to cinematography, creates real dread throughout.

If you want horror that lingers after you leave the theater, this delivers. It’s not perfect, but it respects the genre and respects you as a viewer.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars