Yatra 2

Yatra 2 is a 2024 Telugu biographical political drama written and directed by Mahi V. Raghav and produced by Shiva Meka, the direct sequel to his Yatra (2019). Mammootty returns as Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, and Jiiva plays his son Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The film dramatises Jagan’s rise and his padayatra of 2017 to 2019 for the YSR Congress Party ahead of the 2019 Andhra Pradesh Assembly election. It was released on 8 February 2024 to mixed-to-negative reviews.

What the story covers

After Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s death, his son Jagan sets out on an “Odarpu Yatra” to console the people. Some in the party want him to be the next Chief Minister, but the party high command refuses, cases are filed against him, and he is pressed to fall in line. Instead he leaves to launch a party of his own. The film follows his defeat in the 2014 election and his eventual victory in 2019, told from a perspective sympathetic to Jagan, as reviewers noted.

Cast and crew

• Mammootty as Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy
• Jiiva as Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
• Mahesh Manjrekar as N. Chandrababu Naidu
• Suzanne Bernert as Sonia Gandhi
• Sachin Khedekar as Ghulam Nabi Azad
• Ketaki Narayan as Y. S. Bharathi and Ashrita Vemuganti as Y. S. Vijayamma
• Subhalekha Sudhakar as Reddy

Writer and director: Mahi V. Raghav. Producer: Shiva Meka (Three Autumn Leaves, V Celluloid). Music: Santhosh Narayanan. Cinematography: R. Madhi. Editing: Shravan Katikaneni. Runtime: 130 minutes.

Reviews

Reactions split largely along political lines. The Times of India gave it three out of five, calling Jiiva’s portrayal “powerful” and the film “a thought-provoking exploration of political perseverance”, while acknowledging that it would appeal to viewers “differently depending on their political affiliations”. Raghu Bandi of The Indian Express gave it one star out of five: “strictly for YSRCP and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy fans”, with “not much of politics or biography”, just “a drumroll supporting Jagan”. The Hindu felt the emotional drama worked better than the politics, describing a one-sided political drama enlivened by Jiiva and Mammootty.

Where to watch Yatra 2

Yatra 2 has been streaming on Aha since 3 June 2024 (checked against the platform’s own listing). Availability can vary by region and subscription.

Sources: the Wikipedia article on Yatra 2 and the reviews it cites, linked above; Aha’s listing; our own cast and crew records.