Singham Returns

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Sameer Dharmadhikari, Dayanand Shetty, Amol Gupte, Zakir Hussain

Director: Rohit Shetty

Plot: Following the 2011 super hit movie Singham, the honest & fearless Bajirao Singham returns to Mumbai being a DCP Mumbai Police.

The story jumps into action when a police constable from Singham’s squad is found dead having scampered away holding enormous sum of money and is charged of being corrupt. As the story unravels, Singham begins a quest to track a black marketer with tremendous influence within the political system.

Guruji, a righteous politician and Singham’s teacher, intends to change the society for the better but faces death threats from Baba’s goons.

During this blockbuster journey, DCP Singham fights these influential rogues in the system with utmost honesty, courage & diligence.

The dauntless lion is now ready to roar again and facing new adversities & challenges that cross his path to test his integrity and valor. With the love and respect that he earned, the complete law enforcement supports him throughout his ordeals.

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars (Two and Half stars)

Star cast: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Sameer Dharmadhikari, Dayanand Shetty, Amol Gupte, Zakir Hussain, Mahesh Manjrekar.

Director: Rohit Shetty

What’s Good: Ajay Devgn and the thrills his punches manage to evoke.

What’s Bad: The wafer thin plotline, hammy acting, predictable narrative and the lack of fun and excitement that drives a Rohit Shetty film.

Loo break: One every now and then depending on your ability to digest such films.

Watch or Not?: Singham Returns scared the daylight out of me. No it wasn’t a horror film, but it shocked me to see a Rohit Shetty film so devoid of fun. You can take everything away from that man but not his capability to entertain you. Not novel, frequently bizarre with some really lame vintage jokes to poke fun, the dude can amuse you surely. But when that fun factor is sucked out of his film, assume that something has gone gravely amiss. Singham Returns is a shabby replica of its earlier edition, working on the same contours, never stretching the plotline nor trying anything new. Rather, it deteriorates, frame by frame, turning into a tedious tirade. The impact was seldom there and never rises above the bar set by its prequel. Expect to be only half entertained because of Ajay Devgn whose zealous, rampant smacks and punches still has the gusto. Anyone who has the appetite for commercial potboilers can ingest this film, for others it is an attempt wasted.

User Rating: 

Bajirao Singham (Ajay Devgn) is still the strict, disciplined cop who believes in changing the society more than punishing. He has his own norms of functioning but it is expected of him that he tones down. Afterall, the supercop is now posted in Mumbai. He is given the responsibility of providing protection to Guruji, a political stalwart who dies under his custody.

Soon after, his head constable is found with crores of rupees in a van, dead! Singham traces all of this to the alliance party who weren’t satisfied with the main party’s agenda of supporting youth power in politics. He wants to take them to task. But it isn’t that easy for him to disband the men in power. After the death of the stalwart in custody, Singham resigns.

Bruised and down on morale, will Singham rise to avenge? Does he defeat the men in power and how is what the film’s story traces.

Singham Returns Review: Script Analysis

There is no new script in place and I quite assure you that because the film hardly differs from the previous one. If it’s anything, it is a step backwards in terms of action, romance, drama and story. Given that it is a Rohit Shetty film, the action was memorable only in parts. It all seems walked through, offering nothing new. Infact, that statement stands true for the whole film. Except introducing a few new plots, Singham Returns gives you nothing new to savor. The few laughs seem deliberately induced and more unintentionally created. In a high voltage drama scene, where a woman who was paid off by a political party to vote for them, performs an overdramatic scene, I found it hard to control my laughter.

The logic lapses were myriad. If a police officer can’t swim for his life, would you buy it? Sorry, I couldn’t. A nagging girlfriend of a cop expects to be told about an undercover Operation; considered that matters of state security are both volatile and confidential? And for the last time, how many times in a row can you applaud for flying cars and flying men! The story tests you, repeating its antics, repeating the last film’s antics and mostly repeating trademark Rohit Shetty antics. Somehow, the progression in terms of action or story doesn’t materialize.

The predictability of the narrative harms the film even more. The death of the man whose mom is zoomed upon constantly is always the prime victim for charcater death in a commercial film! Understandable, but one would expect some changes given we aren’t in the 80s and 90s anymore. A man in coma, refusing to wake up almost throws you into a comatose state.

If you have to give any credit, give it to Ajay who keeps a loopy script consistent. I wonder what would have happened to the film if there was no Ajay Devgn. His swagger is up for sale here and pretty much that sums up the film’s crux. Anything else is a diversion as the script relies solely on Ajay to work. Allured by Singham? This is your film. That’s it and that’s all sadly.

Singham Returns Review: Star Performances

Ajay Devgn is better in terms of performance since his last stint at playing Singham. He is marvelous and keeps the film flowing thick despite visible discrepancies. Even the faults you buy because of his conviction on the character. Probably his most memorable screen appearance, Ajay does justice to a character in a film that doesn’t quite live up to his potential.

Kareena Kapoor is used as a mere distraction in the film. Her comedy isn’t very funny. Her action seems forced and her emotions seem fake. She is pleasant face on screen who offers some respite sometimes but the actress doesn’t grab noteworthy attention in the film.

Anupam Kher does a good job. So does Mahesh Manjrekar, who quite slips well in the roles of political stalwart and state CM.

Coming to the villains, they were two very poorly cast actors. If you expect me to be petrified or intimidated by a sugar coated, religious leader who is caricaturish version of some ‘Bapu’, then it fails to work. The same goes for Zakir Hussain who is more of a comedian than villain.