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Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Lara Dutta, Kay Kay Menon
Director: Prabhu Deva
What’s Good: After starting off the year with a dose of seriousity, Akshay Kumar is back with his crazy comic antics and it is fun to have him back. The first half gives you a few instances that you could truly laugh your heart out on.
What’s Bad: With Singh Is Bliing, the curse of the second half strikes extremely hard and you completely miss the fun. Prabhudheva’s attempt to add drama as well as romance along with comedy does not succeed, leaving us waiting for the film to truly get over.
Loo Break: The second half would be a great time!
Watch or Not?: If the Prabhudheva style humor interests your taste buds, you could enjoy Singh Is Bliing. As for me, the first half has its share of laughs but the second one surely makes you wonder where the film is going and I really don’t like to see a waste of Akshay’s talent in such a film.
User Rating:
Singh Is Bliing takes an elaborate start. At first we get an introduction into the silliest character of all, Raftaar Singh (Akshay Kumar) who is a good-for-nothing soul in Punjab. While the director needs an entire song to show this trait of his, we are quite clear that Raftaar is basically a non-working, mama’s boy who has an overbearing father.
Fed up with his careless nature, Raftaar’s father, asks him to take up a job and learn what it is to take responsibility. An extremely silly Raftaar gets a job as a zoo security personnel and due to his stupidity, he lets an African lioness lose. Thus getting kicked off from his job, Raftaar’s father strikes him a deal to either move to Goa and work under his best friend or get married to an oversized girl from their village. Hearing this, Raftaar moves to Goa, only to bump into the love of his life, Saara (Amy Jackson) who has moved from Romania. Raftaar’s duty is to protect her and in the meanwhile, he falls in love with her.
Saara is fleeing from Mark (Kay Kay Menon) who is on the run to kill her. After she flees to Goa, she is given protection by Raftaar and his mates. A village-bred Raftaar has no knowledge of English and hence he hires a translator, Emily (Lara Dutta) to communicate with Saara.
In this whole mess, will Saara also fall for Raftaar who doesn’t even speak English is what the film is essentially about.
Singh Is Bliing Review: Script Analysis
Rarely do Bollywood films know how to strike the right balance between witty comedies and crass comedies. While most opt for slapstick jokes, Prabhudheva is no exception to it. There are ample of problems with the script of Singh Is Bliing.
To start with Prabhudheva plays the old cards of showing a silly ‘Sardar’. I mean please aren’t we already beyond those jokes. Other than that he plays to stereotypes with the characters of Raftaar’s strict father. The lack of a logical plot leaves many loopholes in this story such as, a village-bred Raftaar not only not knowing English but also being unaware of the term ‘I Love You’ which is practically impossible.
Other than that disrespecting physical traits such as obesity to bring the comic element is certainly not a good choice. Even though the lead characters, be it Raftaar or his friends are lechers enough, ogling at the leading ladies in the film, Raftaar is seen giving a brief ‘gyaan’ to a girl who is being eve-teased on how girls must use their anger to protect themselves and it is the height of hypocrisy. The only progressive element that Prabhudheva brings in the film is the fact that in one of the scenes, the heroine gets to save the hero as she fights the goons and kicks ass.
The script is funny in parts and hence only the things that come across as innocent antics of Raftaar will make you laugh. Other than Akshay’s character, his sidekicks too get enough chances to make you laugh hard. What ruins this script is the addition of melodrama in the second half. Too many sub-plots spoil the broth for this comedy film.
One of the best written characters in the film is that of Lara Dutta. Even though the role is a smaller one, her character is the only one that promises humor. Overall, the film is quite regressive in its approach even though it gives Akshay’s character the chance to preach some progressive values over religion and eve-teasing in the film.
Singh Is Bliing Review: Star Performance
Akshay Kumar seems at ease in the film as he plays the idiotic character of Raftaar Singh. He seems extremely happy to do a lighter role compared to his previous films. No doubt, Akshay has a good sense of comic timing and hence he does a great job in the film.
Amy Jackson’s character seems as good as a deaf and mute character. She rarely speaks and the expressions remain the same all through the film. Even though Prabhudheva tries to save her by showing her character a Romanian based one who does not know Hindi, her poor acting skills still remain pretty much clear. She is the weak link in this film.
Lara Dutta is the most impressive in Singh Is Bliing. Her character, Emily brings a lot of fun to the story and Lara is at her best with her comic timing. In one of the scenes, she gets drunk and is seen dancing in a weird manner which is so funny that you thoroughly enjoy it.
Rati Agnihotri plays the typical Punjabi mother. She fits the character perfectly.
Yograj Singh plays Raftaar’s dad. He does not have a big role but manages to give a decent performance.
Kay Kay Menon as Mark, the antagonist in the film is a huge pain. In the first place, what is an actor of his caliber doing in a film like this. Yet, with his act, he manages to bring out little fun. Although his character has a punchline where he keeps saying “I’m too good”, I felt like replying back “unfortunately not in this film”.
Singh Is Bliing Review: Music, Direction
Prabhudheva has a signature style of direction and he sticks to that. Sadly, he cannot re-create the Rowdy Rathore fun with this film, mainly because of the story being extremely weak. Another mistake he does as the director is with the casting of his leading lady. Amy lacks the grit her character requires and since she has a decent chunk of a role, it os highly disappointing. Even though we know Prabhudheva films for their action, with Singh Is Bliing, he messes up that too. The mixture of action and high amount of melodrama in the second half don’t work at all. Even the music of Singh Is Bliing tires you out. Background score is average too.
The cinematography is at its best. Colorful locations of Pubjab are truly eye-catchy. Editing could have been much tighter as the film drags badly in the second half with a pathetic climax.
Overall, the Prabhudheva film lacks the bling we were expecting as a commercial potboiler.
Singh Is Bliing Review: The Last Word
Akshay Kumar’s Singh Is Bliing is enjoyable in parts but as a whole it is not up-to the mark. It loses its bling over time and you are just left watching the silly antics of Mr. Singh. I am going with a 2.5/5 for the film.
Singh Is Bliing Trailer
Singh Is Bliing releases on 2nd October, 2015.
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