Singh Saab The Great

wogma rating: Switch channels if it's on cable (?)

quick review:

Honest man versus corrupt system. As novel as that one gets, only louder when we thought it wasn't possible.

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Director: Anil Sharma
Running time: 150 minutes
Genres: Action, Crime, Social
More Movie Info

Doesn't it actually feel like every actor needs to have an action film in which he/she is the honest and/or do-gooder fighting against the corrupt system? Actually, it is more specific than that. It is like every actor should have a film like this with Prakash Raj as the villain. So, Singh Saab The Great adds Sunny Deol's name to the list. As expected, it is loud and gets louder by the minute. And there are entire 150 of those, no less.

I must say the slight twist in the concept is interesting but they give up on it even before the audience begins to appreciate it. Other than that though, it is as run-of-the-mill and tedious as it gets. The action choreographer tries to shock every once in a while by going a little over the top. But, you end up being just slightly amused rather than awed with those gimmicks.

Even with these interesting deviations in terms of writing, the emotions never engage. It has to be as much due to how exposed we are to this theme as it is to the writing as it is to the performances. Over-written dialogue delivered by Sunny Deol in a manner that we are so used to over decades. For the rest you have Prakash Raj whose performance could've had an impact had it not been the, goodness knows how many, 15th time we've seen it.

What I found absolutely ridiculous was the sudden introduction of a communal tone. It comes out of the blue and way too late in the scheme of things. It thus ends up sounding like an afterthought. Not that way too much thought has been put in the plot, anyway.

And yet, isn't this what we knew to expect? The Deols - they seem to have a world of their own. That world has either the three of them in lead roles, else in cameos with one of them as a lead. This world has an audience of its own that enjoys cars lifted and turned around single-handedly by the famous two-and-a-half-kilo hand. This world is impervious to the likes and dislikes of outsiders. I watch because, well I like giving every movie a chance. Or maybe masochism just comes easily to me.

- meeta, a part of the audience

27 reviewers(?) - 5 yays 12 so-so 10 nays

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

Thumbs up, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...SINGH SAAB THE GREAT is atypical Sunny Deol film that a section of the audience still enjoys. The clapworthy dialogue, the raw appeal, the undercurrent of emotions and of course, the dhaai kilo ka haath should appeal to those who relish desi fares, especially the single screen audience. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Namrata Thakker, Bollywood Life : ...Singh Saab The Great is a typical Sunny Deol film and if you are a fan of the actor, you wouldn’t mind watching it. If you want to watch a film with your family that isn’t a remake, is full of action and has plenty of drama, this one is perfect.... full review

Thumbs up, by Rachit Gupta, Filmfare : ...Like it or not, SSTG is a mass entertainer. It’s a Sunny Deol vehicle; it’s fun albeit a bit jaded thanks to its director’s craft. But this larger-than-life hero still delivers a mean punch.... full review

Thumbs up, by Subhash K. Jha, NDTV : ...There is a virility and fluency to the storytelling. Singh Saab The Great is a homage to the cinema of the 1980s when Sunny was the daredevil determined to bring on a social reform. Somewhere, that hero lost his way. It's good to have him back.... full review

Thumbs up, by K N Gupta, SmasHits.com : ...Overall, a topical movie and a must watch for Sunny fans.... full review

So-So, Daily Bhaskar : ... Music is the best part of the film. Overall the film is entertaining in parts, but don’t expect anything new here. Strictly for Sunny Deol’s fans.... full review

So-So, by Mihir Fadnavis, FirstPost : ...Read biography Get Alerts from this author Follow this author on Twitter View all posts from this author Firstpost Bollywood Singh Saab The Great: Move over superheroes, Sunny Paaji is here Nov 22, 2013 #Anil Sharma #MovieReview #Singh Saab the Great #Sunny Deol 0 inShare 20 CommentsEmailPrint One does not simply review a Sunny Deol-Anil Sharma film. It would be like trying to grab a palm full of water, or explaining String Theory in one line. If you’ve seen Gadar, The Hero: Love story of a Spy and Apne, you’ll know that the films this duo makes transcend eons and multiverses, and their sum excellence cannot be quantified because they are beyond the realm of average human understanding. Only a far more superior species would be able to fully recognize the various layers and cryptic stratums of the films’ innate art. As the trailers of Singh Saab the Great proclaimed, Sunny and Anil have come together. To make you understand how significant this combo is, I have to lead you to a Marvel metaphor. Sunny and Anil coming together is an epoch busting event – it’s like Batman, Superman, X-Men and the Avengers coming together to punch one single ant, simultaneously. The resultant injuries suffered by the ant are what you experience whilst watching a Sunny-Anil movie. But the pain is sacred and therapeutic, because we’re blessed with what we get to see on screen; just as the ant is blessed with the touch of Marvel superheroes’ fists. Now then. Do you love lots of vintage Sunny Deol shouting? Do you love random acts of pointless, loud and over the top violence? Do you love watching actors get kicked, thrashed and killed in increasingly ridiculous ways? Does your idea of a date night involve candlelight dinner, wine and some good old fashioned hammy acting, unintentionally funny writing and direction... full review

So-So, by FPJ Bureau, Free Press Journal : ...The film is also quite long in the tooth and could have done better with a brisker, racier edit. The only thing worth watching in this movie is Sunny Deol – his sincerity and restrained expressiveness temper the melodrama to a certain extent... full review

So-So, by Nupur Barua, fullhyd.com : ...This movie may just bring him back to the big league, where he belonged not too long ago. On a more optimistic note, this may also bring Amrita Rao back to the list of actors in demand. And Anil Sharma may just give us another Gadar to get over the disaster that Veer was....

So-So, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...Sunny Deol pulls off all the action scenes with elan; be it using his powerful fists, leaping over obstacles or even stopping a speeding vehicle with his bare hands.... full review

So-So, Indicine : ...Overall, Singh Saab The Great, largely delivers on the promises of a good action filled drama. It is loaded with emotions, action (even though not quite as much), and even a bit of romance and social service.... full review

So-So, by Mohar Basu, koimoi : ...Singh Saab The Great is far from an impeccable film. Rather it is an exclusively loud film but in an era where Bollywood is becoming unusually predictable,... full review

So-So, by Shaheen Parkar, MiD DAY : ... An effort has been made, but it takes recourse to the typical Bollywood cliches and the preachy stance. It’s worth a one-time watch if for nothing, but to see Sunny roar on the screen.... full review

So-So, by Jaidev Hemmady, Movie Talkies : ...Only meant for fans of the dhai kilo ka haath star... - See more at: http://www.movietalkies.com/movies/reviews/20855/singh-saab-the-great#sthash.jGrTAiOM.dpuf... full review

So-So, by Divya Solgama, MoviezADDA : ...Well if you are a Sunny Deol or masala action movie lover then this movie has all the dum you want.... full review

So-So, by Mansha Rastogi, Now Running.com : ...Singh Saab The Great is a complete single screen film for Sunny Deol fans who are yearning to see him back in action. For the others it's just another masala entertainer. ... full review

So-So, by Meena Iyer, Times of India : ...Anil Sharma's Singh Saab the Great has its heart in the correct place... full review

Thumbs down, by Bobby Singh, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...In all, SSTG is a typical action packed revenge drama, made on the lines of what Dharmendra used to do in the 80s like PAAP KO JALAAKAR RAAKH KAR DOONGA & many more... full review

Thumbs down, by Khalid Mohamed, Deccan Chronicle : ...Come to think of it, you may detect some elements of 'Satyakam' here, related to the theme of corrpution. Snag is that both in the writing and the direction, the topic doesn’t move beyond mouthing the age-old cliches. Which is why 'Singh Saab the Great' leaves you stone cold, despite all that oil, fire and brimstone. Worth a skip.... full review

Thumbs down, by Smita, Desi Martini : ...Hackneyed story, same old direction. Only for Sunny fans ... full review

Thumbs down, by Rony D'costa, Desi Martini : ...Singh Saab is not so great and not even average.... full review

Thumbs down, by Tushar Joshi, DNA : ...Strictly for Sunny Deol fans, Singh Saab tries to recreate the glory days of this actor-director duo but doesn't succeed beyond a point. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Faheem Ruhani, india today : ...The title song, composed and rendered by Sonu Nigam with remarkable verve and energy and sung in a pitch that perhaps only he could is perhaps the greatest thing about Singh Saab The Great. For that you don't have to go to a cinema hall.... full review

Thumbs down, by Karan Anshuman, Mumbai Mirror : ...Singh Saab the Great is not to be taken seriously. But certainly for lessons in how to charm the ladies less than half your age, give it a shot. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Paloma Sharma, Rediff : ...Singh Saab the Great has its moments. But more importantly, it has Sunny Deol and that is reason enough for most of us to watch this film... full review

Thumbs down, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...For those who want to relive old-school melodrama, and consider themselves as Sunny Deol fans, there are no surprises in store. But then, that's exactly what you signed up for.... full review

Thumbs down, by Anuj Kumar, The Hindu : ...Not great by any stretch of imagination ... full review

77 tweeters(?) - 66 yays 4 so-so 7 nays

ZiiDiiJAAT: Singh Saab the Great - Awsum n sensible Movie - Must watch .. Sunny Deol (Y) #Kundu

YSorout: Singh saab the great Wow!! What a movie.. Great!! I liked it

vishumathana: Bahut time baad ek achi movie dekhne ko mili.... "Singh Saab The Great". love u sunny paaji

vishalahluwali1: seeing,singh saab the great.....its awsme frnds.....u must watch;

Vimaljoshi: Anyway, Singh Saab the Great is Actually a good movie. It is a Sunny paji classic. Action, emotions, drama. ★★☆★★ 5 star movie

TeenaSingh90: Singh Saab The Great is about a common man in a small city of UP who fights against corruption. It is a simple entertainment movie.

TadviManish: Watched Singh Saab The Great absolutely no doubt that the movie title itself has incorporated the Review in the title " GREAT"..#MUSTWATCH

Surajsawan: Singh Saab the great was actually a bad ass film!

SugandhShashi: Enjoying Singh Saab the great...

speedysingh22: Singh Saab The Great <3

sndeep991: #SinghSaab The Great...... Such A Hilerious movie truely Said Singh Saab The Great Spl thanks took Mr-Punjab... https://www.facebook.com/awesomesaini1/posts/543057545783786

shtjgupta: just watched singh saab the great.. its awesum.. sunny deol is awesum..breathtaking action #sstg @SunnyDeol1 @Anilsharma_dir

shawnarranha: Yesterday was movie day superb fun seeing Singh saab the great and Gori teri prem mein :))))))))))))))))

shahrose_w: Singh saab the great (Y)

Shaanoutlaws: Singh Saab The Great !!! Awesome Movie !!! Sunny is 58 but looks 35

sdebkr: Singh saab the great... Good to see sunny deol back in action.

santosh0929: Singh saab the great ... In one word superb. Terrific. Just watch it. Sunny in top form and Anil Sharma top direction . Heroes r back

SamitPlaha: "Singh Saab the great" was amazing, Sunny Deol's still got it

saajansharma11: Singh saab the great.....awesome movie mai te dobara jaana.....

rohitwalia988: Singh saab the great sunny deol next super duper hit

reetreality: The movie Singh Saab The Great is fucking awesome <3:)

ReALbRoWnSwaG: "Singh Saab the Great" never watch a amazing movie in years ..... Must watch

rajeshs10597763: Singh Saab the great ,sunny paaji full on entertainment movie enjoy

raevatkumar: Watched singh saab the great.Great movie man

pradip69: Singh saab thé great...must watch movie...sunny deol striks with 100% ...

Pawande01597606: #Singh saab the great !!!! Juzt Wow!!!

PawanCh37227428: Singh Saab the Great : Very good movie. Drama, emotion, action, humor- all there to make it a full paisa vasool movie.

ParxAJ: Singh Saab - The Great.. watched last night. . a superb movie wit gud action n strong emotions..

parry_an: Singh saab the Great.... Really Great movie.

NotoriousJatt_7: "Singh Saab the great" is amazing!!! A must watch movie for everyone it's so emotional It made me cry

mmanojchoudhary: "singh saab the great" awsm movie.....

mindkaur: Singh saab the great was such a good movie, definitely recommend it its a must watch, soo good

meet_sujeet: Great Movie,Nice Story,Beautiful Dialouge.... Singh Saab The Great........!!! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=508785749236499&l=536337e913

ManOf_Few_Words: Undoubtedly 'Singh Saab the Great' is the best Bollywood movie till now!

lucky89053gmail: Singh saab the great is very very nice and action movie chak do phate sunny paji http://twitter.com/lucky89053gmail/status/404438884244664320/photo/1

kshitij400: Singh saab the great !!! --- amazing .. romantic and awesome movie !! ... night is in the name of sunny deol !! ... sexy gal

KapilCh62852497: Watch Singh Saab the Great with @Anil Soun Such a gud movie aftr so many mnths.....Sunny Paaji roked & bak in full form....

kamboj: Watch Singh Saab The Great

JoblessEnginer: Singh saab the Great was Gud... cant miss sunny paaji's movie...

Jazzbhasin: All d khans ,d Akshay's, d Kapoor's of Bollywood make a way for "Singh Saab the Great " Sunny Deol is just awesome incredible movie !!!

icai1988: "singh saab the great" nice movie... awsm actng of sunny deol, urvershi, nd prakash raj... movie based on proud, honest..

iabhimnyu: WOW What A Super Awesome movie #Singh Saab The Great Wow Hatts of 2 #Sunnydeol Hatts Of 2 #Punjabi #Sardaar PunjabinRocks #Epic Movie

HoNey_RanjHa: Singh Saab the great wat aa great movie ... Luv ju sunny deol veer .. jeonda reh dil khush krta

Hardeep_Sikri: what a movie.....singh saab the great

gurisandhu44: Singh saab the great is verry nice movie Go friends see this Movie and in joining

gillreturns: Watched Singh saab the great and it's an amazing movie. Great work by #SunnyDeol

GillHimmat: Singh saab the great a complete paisa vasool movie

ganeshasalunkhe: I just watched Singh saab the great movie... Super hai

farisalbaloushi: Singh saab the great is super hit movie please friends go and watch it on cinema

El_Devorador: Singh Saab the Great- Only Sunny deol can pull this off and we'll still enjoy the movie. ! Great ho tussi ! . #mumbai #bollywood

DhrumilBJP: Singh Saab The Great movie..बहुत मस्त हे.must see

dhawanpandher: 10/10 SINGH SAAB THE GREAT STORY BAHUT WADHIYA END JMA END Sunny deol + anil sharma (y) Must watch ... nakla... https://www.facebook.com/dhawanpandher/posts/10202492987587295

DayakaranSingh: Singh Saab The Great is good movie #mustsee

DASS_ROHIT: Chaa gya singh Saab the great....... Singh is king.......

DalpreetKahlon: Singh Saab the Great a magnificent movie!

DadduG: singh saab the great - the besssst movie of 2013

BhupinderBrar94: Awesome movie... Singh Saab The Great.... Every Singh Must Watch This Movie...... If u are Singh Then U Watch This Movie.....

BHT_OFFICIAL: SINGH SAAB THE GREAT is the Most Powerful Film of the year. Performance,dialogues,story,villain,and specially... https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=569129449823413&l=28a7bc8425

BeingSunder: Singh Saab the great is best movie full fight full fun and full enjoy. So frnds watch movie now ....... don't miss

BeingShivamC: Singh saab the great - nice movie ! Pure Sunny Deol action. Sunny back after a long time.. 3.5/5 stars.. One time watch for sure :)

baljit346: Singh saab the great nice movie

ankitpoonia09: Singh Saab the Great Awesome Movie.... Must watch .. Healthy story Emotion Romance Action Sab kuch hai yaar... https://www.facebook.com/ankitpoonia09/posts/572028756183677

amritcheema9114: Never miss a Weekend no mattr it is -good time-bad time - or exam time...:p ## SINGH SAAB THE GREAT #SUNNY DEOL

ALBETCAPITAL: Singh Saab the great: Osum movie

9716772545: Haanji koi sa dekhyaasi "Singh Saab The Great".Huud dekha si Kamaal di movie Hain

_Outlier: Can't believe I am saying this, but, Singh Saab The Great is full paisa vasool and far better than the last few Sallu films!

Yunus_Irshad: SINGH SAAB THE GREAT (U/A) HINDI -----------------my Rating : ★★ LOUD Impeccable FILM What’s Good: Sunny Deol... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5s3px_S1MY

sunil77132: Singh Saab the Great (2/5): Strictly for Sunny Deol fans..

rth_benz: Singh Saab - The Great: Ha ha ha... Funny movie, I don't know if they wanted it to fall in comedy, romance or... https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201260588491659&l=1d0c764242

FilmyDiscussion: Singh Saab The Great is very good in parts. Sunny deol gave a powerful performance. Prakash Raj excels. Others fit in. Undecided verdict.

vinash13: Singh Saab The Great!! #SirfEkHiKafiHai

Surya_Dcruz: Very much disappointed with #blinddate movie "singh saab the great" #SPI....

MahaTweetiya: I want a Avengers vs Singh Saab The Great movie.

InsaneMovieGeek: Singh Saab the Great (2013) is 25-30 years late of its time. Back then, it could have been a hit but now its just a mediocre & boring film.

gouthamreddybr: Not a good day for movie lovers.. Singh Saab the great and Varna..! Stay miles away from the theaters! :D #Varna #SinghSaabTheGreat

daaru_desi: Movies with names like Singh Saab the Great are still being made and watched...and then we wonder what's wrong with the nation!

amitdirector: Singh Saab The Great - Though the film is not great or even good; Sunny D is in top form. Again screenplay is the culprit. Too many films w…

4 readers - 2 yays 2 so-so 0 nays

Not Interested in Watching, by Anuj

Not Interested in Watching, by Anuj

Not Interested in Watching, by Pritesh Dubey

Want to Watch, by suraj singh : i am very excited to watch it and also the action of uprooting the trees instead of handpumps.......

Yay! Thumbs Up, by Baljinder Singh

Yay! Thumbs Up, by Shelly Singh : 100

So-So, by Anup : Sunny Deol’s comeback but too low to be a anil sharma movie

So-So, by TimELiebe : 100% Timepass - Probably Rent This On Netflix When It Hits There For Some Boring Sunday Night

This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.

Parental Guidance:

  • Violence: Lots.
  • Language: Clean
  • Nudity & Sexual content: Cleavage, an item song. A couple of fleeting intimate scenes. No kisses or liplocks or other physical intimacy.
  • Concept: Honest man versus corrupt system.
  • General Look and Feel: Loud, very loud.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction:
Story:
Lead Actors:
Character Artists:
Dialogues:
Screenplay:
Music Director:
Lyrics:

Singh Saab The Great - Cast, crew, links

Director:
Action Choreography:
Music Director:
Costume Designer:
Running time:
150 minutes
Reviewer:
Language:
Country:
Genres:

Comments (15)

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Fan

Is this a religious film? The name of the film certainly gives that impression. The promo does not give that impression but promos can be quite deceiving and tricky, in addition there's only one promo circulating.

In comedy nights Navjotsingh Siddhu made a remark that if anybody can play Guru Gobind Singh's role then it is Sunny Deol.

There are absolutely no other previews elsewhere.

So what's it about? At least important to know if it is mythological/religious film or a fictional film.

Anup

At least its better than crap south indian remakes,,,,and why 1 mark for acting,,,sunny deol and prakash raj both have done there job nicely along with jhony lever and sanjay mishra,,,,yes prakash raj was repetative,,,,but its not his fault,,,,
Meetu - me and u had a litl fight when u have given watch if u have nothing better to do - to - shoot out at wadala ,,,, m still waiting when u will give good a review to a bollywood action film,,,,bcoz its the only genre where i always disagree to ur reviews.......for me the rating would be ’watch when on tv’ bcoz the execution was good,,,,script was novel,,,,just the x factor is missing,,,,or u can say lack of innovation.....

Anuj

"Doesn't it actually feel like every actor needs to have an action film in which he/she is the honest and/or do-gooder fighting against the corrupt system"~isn't that exactly what we saw in Arjun,Ghayal,Ghatak,Damini & Tridev? I guess these movies were a lot more powerful in content and had a much younger and energetic Sunny Deol. Am quite sad to see my once favourite actor doing such movies these days at this age!

Indian audience gets bored with similar concepts, action+corruption+message, this formula is also old now, people wants to see something new, filmakers should not make films only for the sake of actor's fans...
We want something different, however some crap movies still earn 100+ crores because of actor's brand image.

Anuj

"This world has an audience of its own that enjoys cars lifted and turned around single-handedly by the famous two-and-a-half-kilo hand."~a biased and unfair argument made on the basis of just 3-4 films. Ask any Sunny Deol fan what Betaab,Arjun,Ghayal,Tridev,Damini,Ghatak,Border and Gadar meant to them and you'd know! And let me not even get into the legend of Dharam paaji!

@Fan nope, not religious. There is some communal mention, but nothing more than that.

@Anup Yeah, but it's over the top and that is always a pain to endure.

@Anuj Exactly!

About the biased an unfairness of the argument - well i was referring to the same thing.

@Pritesh :) All in the name of "commercial" cinema.

Anuj

Even Sunny's most trusted fanbase from Punjab/Delhi region would be quite embarrassed and unhappy to watch him do films like Jo Bole...,YPD-2 and now this! He might be as angry as he was in the 90's but he certainly ain't that young anymore! As for Anil Sharma,just proves that he's a one Hit wonder namely Gadar-Ek Prem Katha (all thanks to the one man's brawny jingoistic display of unabashed patriotism and love).

@Meeta : So finally u did manage to agree with me :P

Fan

@Meetu: thanks for 2 clarifications viz.

1. It is nota religious drama.
2. No kisses or liplocks or other physical intimacy

I will wait to see how it trends over the weekend before deciding to go watch it or not. But thanks for your clarification, it helped me remove it from "not interested in watching" category :-)

Have a nice weekend.

@Pritesh - it's a popular theme, especially with working-class audiences, and it travels well (American action movies and Chinese martial arts films do it, too). It doesn't matter how well it's done so long as it's got lots of scenes of your "regular guy" hero beating the living crap out of bullying crooked goons/cops and their mean rich and powerful master - it never gets old, because it speaks to a nearly-universal desire To Slap Some Respect Into Your Boss/The Cop Who Harasses You/The Slimy Politician Who Cuts Services To Your Neighborhood.

Anuj

"filmakers should not make films only for the sake of actor's fans.."~Its not about film-makers making films for fans.Its about business demand and market dynamics.Actors like the Khans',Roshan and even Ranbir & Akshay to some extent are too popular to be ignored.Its all but obvious that makers' will prefer catering to the massive fanbase of these actors when there's so much at stake and guaranteed returns! Of course there will always be the Kahaani's,Aashiqui 2's and the Vicky Donor's but for that one's gotta couple strong content with target audience sensibility (urban or mass sector) all within a shoestring budget. Something that none except the Bhatts' have been able to master over the years.

@Anuj well, you do say the right things, some times :P ha ha ha.

@Fan My pleasure.

@TimELiebe Popular yes, but i guess for people like me who watch a film or two at least every week, it becomes tiresome if there is no creativity at all. :D

Anuj

"well, you do say the right things, some times"~unfortunately cannot say the same about the critics fraternity at all,not even once :P esp when reviewing mass entertainers :P

Shelly Singh

Singh Saab the great good movie

Baljinder Singh

plot could be more effective .....and story could have given more strength .....but still it was a great work displayed by team ......communal script is introduced to define the strength ....of good human vs bad human ......nothing more than that ......all in all a patriotic movie .......and well defined direction

@Meetu - no argument there! We have a glut of them in the US as well - and most of them are not really that good.

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