Singham Is A Power-Packed Entertainer

Some of the most favorite moments in Indian cinema have been when a powerful, corrupt bad guy and his army of intimidating huge goons get ruthlessly beaten at the hands one righteous man. The image of a Rambo-like one-man army with larger than life morals standing against everything that is wrong with the world is how Indian cinema has celebrated heroism right from its origin, and it still continues to do so. Add to that jaw-dropping action sequences and car chases, heavily loaded dialogues, intense drama and characters that audiences love or hate with all their heart; and what you get is an explosive thrill ride on screen that you cannot take your eyes away from. This is what Rohit Shetty’s “Singham” is all about- it is a celebration of heroism that we have loved since always, but it only gets better now.

Set in Goa, “Singham” is a movie about Inspector Bajirao Singham played by Ajay Devgan, an honest cop who shamelessly uses his authority to set things right, no matter what it takes to do that. Things get difficult however, when he crosses path with a criminal-cum-aspiring politician Jaikant Shikre played by Prakash Raj, who shows Singham a world rid of innocence and morals, and who is hell-bent on satisfying his hurt ego by making life miserable for our leading man. And what ensues thereon is a gripping action-drama about two men against each other, neither of whom is ready to give up. It would be foolish to expect realism or a thought-provoking storyline from this movie, because that is never its intention in the first place. But what is bound to keep your eyes stuck to the screen is the over-the-top intense drama that it builds at every turn, and the superbly powerful performance that Ajay Devgan delivers as its larger-than-life hero. After the first 15 minutes, which you might not find very entertaining, you are bound to start loving Bajirao Singham, and hating Jaikant Shikre with equal intensity, and the mere idea of them crossing paths leaves one at the edge of their seats. From that point on, the director does not let anyone get comfortable in their seats, because before you know it, something new and interesting turns up and leaves you wondering what’s next. Some of the things that deserve a special mention are the dialogues and their delivery by the versatile Ajay Devgan, which remind you of films like Wanted, Dabbangg, and Once Upon A Time in Mumbai. The fight sequences, coming directly from ex-action director Rohit Shetty are innovative and intriguing, especially the hero’s signature moves that resemble that of a hunting lion. Together, all these components establish “Singham” as a synonym for adrenaline rush, which most of us are bound to feel almost throughout the movie. There are elements of Golmaal-like humor to make things light, which as always, work pretty much in Rohit Shetty’s favor. There also is a romantic side-track between Bajirao and Kavya played by newcomer Kajal Aggarwal, which deserves little attention, and thankfully the director and editor agree to that. The climax of the movie, however, is a bit too much and many will find it disappointing, but is entertaining nonetheless.

Coming to the performances in the movie, Ajay Devgan delivers a superb performance; the build, body language, delivery of expressions and dialogues is impeccable, and so are the action sequences. Kajal Aggarwal does a poor job at her idea of acting, and is the weakest link of the movie. South-Indian superstar Prakash Raj is no doubt a good actor, and his character becomes one of the most entertaining ones in the movie. However, it is difficult to miss the similarity of his current role to the one he played in Wanted, and that will leave you expecting something new from such a talented actor. The cinematography, although inspired from South-Indian action movies, has been cross-bred with Rohit Shetty style of cinema, and is very interesting to watch. The background score of the movie is impactful, and adds great effect to the theme and tempo of the movie.

Overall, Singham is a formulaic, but a great high-tempo movie, and if you loved Wanted, Dabbangg and/or Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, then missing “Singham” would be a great mistake.