But the film does deliver some surprises, and that's why it's much better, and tauter, than the first. The intrigue is sharper. So is the acting . Amitabh, dressed in black kurta-lungi and double rudraksha, is played to his strengths, as is Abhishek, who doesn't have Kay Kay this time around to overshadow him. Best of all, RGV keeps Aishwarya in check, in chic power-suits and chignons, giving her lines which belong to a character, not a star.

`Sarkar Raj' resurrects the reputation of RGV, in tatters after the monstrously bad `Aag'. And it does a strident Jai Maharashtra number on Bachchan Sr's nay-sayers. Both Amitabh , in his Thackeray avatar ( delicious irony, that) and Abhishek are handed out numerous opportunities to talk about `vikas' and `badlaav' and the state. `UP mein jurm kam hai' is old. The new mantra, loud and clear, is ---`Maharashtra mein dum hai'. Take that, Raj.