Ah, another day, another Bollywood sequel! But hold your eye-rolls, folks, because this one might actually be worth your time and popcorn money. The much-anticipated crime thriller Raid 2 release date is closer and about to storm theaters, with our favorite intense-staring specialist Ajay Devgn back in his tax officer avatar. As someone who never thought I’d be excited about a movie centered on income tax raids (I mean, who would?), I find myself oddly pumped for this one. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about this upcoming action-packed sequel that transforms mundane tax procedures into edge-of-your-seat entertainment.
When Can You Skip Work to Watch? Raid 2 Release Date and Strategic Timing
Releasing on May 1, 2025.
Mark your calendars, fellow cinema enthusiasts! Raid 2 release date is set on May 1, 2025 to hit theaters. The makers have cleverly chosen this date to coincide with International Labour Day and Maharashtra Day, guaranteeing a long weekend for maximum box office potential.
Talk about strategic planning! After being originally slated for a February 2025 release, the film was pushed back to capitalize on the holiday weekend. So now you have the perfect excuse to call in sick on May 1st – you’re not slacking off, you’re supporting Indian cinema!
What’s the Deal This Time? The Plot That Makes Taxes Thrilling
If you thought your tax audits were stressful, wait till you see what’s happening in Raid 2. The film continues the story of IRS officer Amay Patnaik (Ajay Devgn), who apparently has been busy since we last saw him, having seized over 4200 crores in his previous 74 raids.
Talk about career achievement!
In this installment, our tax-collecting superhero conducts his milestone 75th raid against the premises of one Dada Manohar Bhai, played by Riteish Deshmukh.
Based on real-life income tax raids conducted by the officers of the Income Tax Department, the film promises to transform paperwork and financial investigations into heart-pounding drama. Who knew tax evasion could be this entertaining?
Star Power: The Cast That Makes Tax Raids Look Good
The casting department wasn’t messing around when they assembled the team for Raid 2. Leading the pack is, of course, Ajay Devgn, reprising his role as the stern-faced, rule-following IRS officer Amay Patnaik. If there’s anyone who can make staring at financial documents look intense, it’s Devgn.
Joining him is Riteish Deshmukh playing the antagonist Dada Manohar Bhai. From what the trailers suggest, Deshmukh seems to have traded his comic timing for some serious villain vibes, and I’m here for this transformation.
Vaani Kapoor steps in as the female lead, replacing Ileana D’Cruz from the first film. When asked about this casting change, Devgn coolly compared it to James Bond films, saying…
“You see it in a lot of Hollywood films also. Still, Sean Connery is not the James Bond. It’s the character you follow, and then new people keep coming in.”
Smooth move, Ajay!
The supporting cast includes industry veterans like Rajat Kapoor as the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Saurabh Shukla returning as Rameshwar Singh (aka “Ramji” or “Tauji”), Supriya Pathak as Dada Manohar Bhai’s mother, and Amit Sial as Amay’s colleague Lallan Sudheer.
And because no Bollywood film is complete without some dancing, Raid 2 features special appearances by Tamannaah Bhatia in the song “Nasha” and Jacqueline Fernandez with Yo Yo Honey Singh in “Money Money”. Because nothing says “serious crime thriller about tax evasion” like item songs, right?
Show Me the Money: Budget and Salary Breakdown
Here’s where things get interesting for the industry buffs. Raid 2 has been made on a modest budget of ₹48 crore. And guess what? Ajay Devgn took home a cool ₹20 crore of that – almost half the entire budget! Talk about being the MVP.
Interestingly, this represents a significant pay cut for Devgn compared to his Singham Again salary. For Rohit Shetty’s cop universe film (made on a budget of ₹350 crore), he reportedly charged ₹35 crore. Either Devgn really believes in the Raid franchise, or his accountant suggested diversifying his portfolio. Either way, I respect the hustle.
Riteish Deshmukh bagged ₹4 crore for his villainous turn, while Vaani Kapoor received ₹1 crore for stepping into the female lead role. That’s some serious wage gap, but unfortunately not surprising in Bollywood’s pay structure.
Behind the Scenes: The Making of Raid 2
The filming journey of Raid 2 took the crew across multiple Indian locations. Principal photography began on January 6, 2024, with shooting taking place in Mumbai, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The main filming wrapped up in April 2024, with some patchwork completed by late May 2024.
What’s interesting is that the item songs were afterthoughts – director Raj Kumar Gupta decided to add two special numbers after the entire filming was completed. The song with Yo Yo Honey Singh and Jacqueline Fernandez was filmed in the last week of March 2025, while Tamannaah’s item number was shot in a Mumbai studio in the first week of April 2025. Nothing like last-minute dance numbers to spice things up!
Box Office Battle: Can Raid 2 Conquer the Competition?
Despite facing stiff competition from Sanjay Dutt’s horror-comedy The Bhootnii, Nani’s HIT 3: The Third Case, and Suriya’s Retro, Raid 2 seems to be building solid momentum. The advance booking numbers are impressive – the film has already collected between ₹2.34-2.94 crore even before release.
In fact, Raid 2 has already outperformed Akshay Kumar’s Kesari Chapter 2 in 24-hour advance booking collections, gathering ₹92.19 lakhs compared to Akshay’s ₹82.85 lakhs. Not bad for a movie about tax raids, eh?
Final Thoughts: Will Raid 2 File a Successful Return?
With its mix of intense drama, star power, and apparently two item songs that may or may not have anything to do with tax audits, Raid 2 is shaping up to be an interesting May release. The film has a runtime of 138 minutes and has been rated ‘UA 7+’ by the CBFC, making it suitable for viewers aged 7 and above – because it’s never too early to learn about the importance of paying your taxes!
Whether Raid 2 will match the critical and commercial success of its predecessor remains to be seen. But with Ajay Devgn‘s powerful screen presence, Riteish Deshmukh’s villainous turn, and a story based on real-life tax raids, this sequel might just prove that sometimes, the taxman cometh… and brings a pretty good movie with him.
So mark your calendars for May 1st, and prepare to witness what might be the most exciting depiction of tax collection in cinematic history.
Because in a world full of superheroes, sometimes all we need is an honest tax officer with a stern expression and an uncanny ability to find hidden money.
