Singham Again

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

quick review:

Gut-churning jingoism, which even the inclined could watch at minimum 4x speed. Not due to the story but because it feels like 90% of the film is in slo-mo. So, can make it 16x because the story is an insecure parallel of the Ramayana.

Director: Rohit Shetty

Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Ajay Devgan, Arjun Kapoor

Running time: 145 minutes

Genres: Action

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See, no one is expecting subtlety here. Or even originality. So, when a “Grand” Ramayana show is presented as a ppt deck with a Wikipedia-page-like narrative, you roll your eyes and move on. You are even warned of parallels between the mythological epic and the story at hand. But when these parallels are shoved down your throat it begins to reek of of insecurity. And you feel slightly sorry for them; and your patience. But the real test of endurance is when you see they somehow manage the mangle up the parallels—arguably the one thing that would distinguish Singham Again from any of the other films in this “COPverse” franchise.

So much slow motion! A slo-mo chase…a visual oxymoron of sorts?

Repeatedly, you are reminded that Singham (Ajay Devgn) is Ram, his wife, Avni (Kareena Kapoor) is Sita, Zubair (Arjun Kapoor) is Zubair (:/). What’s that? Did you forget who’s who? No worries. Let me remind you, Singham = Ram, Avni = Sita, Zubair = Ravan. Ooops, you lost the plot again because there was some segue into a lecture and mockery of Gen Z lingo? No problem. Singham means Ram, a random 90s-style comic-relief scene, Avni means Sita….you get the drift, right? No? Singha…Ha ha ha ha…Okay, I’ll stop. But let me warn you, they don’t. And just in case you are wondering this is done for Laxman and Hanuman too.

AND THEN. And then…they go ahead and bring in two Garuds!

No, not two birds. That would have been okay, right? At least, some creativity. Two characters at different points in the film are shown as Garud. I burst out laughing. But hey, what do I know, right? Maybe they had to justify the cost of the appalling quality of CGI by increasing the number of times they use it.

Of course, all of this is happening, in slow-motion. Ok fine, I am exaggerating, not all of it, but felt like at least 90%. Ajay Devgn blinks…slo-mo. Some lady cries…slo-mo. Villains looking for a person in a chase. They spot him. Slo-mo. Hero finds villain he has been chasing for the last five minutes of screen time…AND…freeze frame, move in slo-mo. A slo-mo chase…a visual oxymoron of sorts?

Also, there isn’t much going on in the acting department either. Maybe, just maybe, we can call Arjun Kapoor’s Zubair aka Danger Lanka, a good step away from his norm. But, as menacing as his acts of chopping of throats are, he is not. The rest of the actors are just giving you more of the same.

Obviously, the story, the narrative choices are all just fillers for the action. But in this world for ALL the action, there is very little creativity to show for it. Not to say there isn’t any, some bits in the final action sequence are interesting. But too little, too late.

AND THEN. And then…they go ahead and bring in two Garuds! Oh, the incompetence!

Especially because until then you have jingoism that claims to provide proof that mythology is reality while assigning “kehte hain” (it is believed) disclaimers to them. I guess we ought to be thankful that they believe that there is a need for some room for doubt. I also guess, we could also be thankful to them for not making an entire country and/or community the evil ones. Yep, clearly we are grasping at straws here.

- meeta, a part of the audience

25 reviewers^(?) - 9 yays 6 so-so 10 nays

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

Thumbs up, Bollywood Life : ...Rohit Shetty’s cop universe continues to expand, blending high-octane action with humor and star power in every installment. Each film elevates the stakes while deepening connections between its beloved characters, making it an ever-evolving spectacle.... full review

Thumbs up, by "Rohit Vats ", DNA : ...Singham Again has a glittering star-cast, heavy-duty dialogue-baazi and well-timed action scenes. You wanted a nice festival film, Rohit Shetty has given you just that. It will most likely make your Diwali more enjoyable.... full review

Thumbs up, by Aakash Kumar, Filmi Beat : ...Singham Again is a perfect Diwali entertainer and is a must watch. Ajay Devgn delivered a strong performance and is in his mass avatar. The film stays true to its mass appeal roots with Ajay Devgn delivering a standout performance once again. After the failure of Cirkus, Rohit Shetty is back with a bang! Overall, it's a one-time watch film, best enjoyed with family.... full review

Thumbs up, by Rishabh Suri, Hindustan Times : ...Overall, Singham Again delivers in parts. I am all for masala films, when they are made properly. Watch it for the second half. And Ranveer Singh. PS- One misses the OG Singham entry music. If only art was placed above egos here. Enough said.... full review

Thumbs up, by Zinia Bandyopadhyay, india today : ...Rohit Shetty and Ajay Devgn’s mutual love and trust make Singham a successful franchise. No one can play Singham apart from Ajay, and no other role can present him in such a heroic way. The actor can only make it convincing to defeat invincible villains by just slaps. But that’s also a flaw, given the fight during the climax between him and Arjun ends up slightly thanda.... full review

Thumbs up, by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies : ...As a whole, Singham Again is a massy treat that brings back the historic heroic cinema we have been missing for sometime in Bollywood. Go, enjoy your Diwali and the fireworks on the big screen with team Singham Again.... full review

Thumbs up, Movie Talkies : ...As a whole, Singham Again is a massy treat that brings back the historic heroic cinema we have been missing for sometime in Bollywood. Go, enjoy your Diwali and the fireworks on the big screen with team Singham Again.... full review

Thumbs up, by TITAS CHOWDHURY, News18.com : ...Do watch Singham Again for him, for its ambitious, larger-than-life appeal and for not-so-surprising Salman Khan’s Chulbul Pandey cameo. If promises are met, then a Rohit Shetty X Salman Khan collaboration will be one for the books!... full review

Thumbs up, by Dhaval Roy, Times of India : ...Keep an eye out for the wild card at the end of the credits. Singham Again unleashes a high-octane blend of action and entertainment. Despite some flaws, this actioner roars.... full review

So-So, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ...All in all, watch Singham Again for its massive star presence and non-stop action. It’s strictly for action buffs and Rohit Shetty fans.... full review

So-So, by Prathamesh Jadhav, Free Press Journal : ...In a nutshell, Singham Again is explosive and entertaining even if the tale continues to be predictable. The film scores high in terms of the scale, the drama and the impact!... full review

So-So, by Manmath Sahu, fullhyd.com : ...In short, Singham Again is a firework display of patriotism, mythology and bravado that'll thrill both the loyal fans of Shetty's Cop Universe and the fan-boys and girls of the current ruling dispensation, and leave skeptics feeling like they've wandered into a mythological theme park with Singham as their fearless tour guide.... full review

So-So, by Jaya Dwivedie, India TV : ...Singham Again' is a power packed film which you can definitely watch once. The story of the film will entertain you, some scenes are definitely irritating, like Ajay Devgn shooting with his fingers, but overall this film is worth watching... full review

So-So, by Gautam Batra, Intermission, The Bookeazy Blog : ...Overall, Singham Again is a decent time pass entertainer this Diwali loaded with a great star cast and cameos which you can enjoy with your family. Don't go with high expectations and you won't be disappointed.... full review

So-So, Scroll.in : ...Singham Again would be borderline boring. It ends with a brief appearance by Chulbul Pandey (Salman Khan), who will presumably join this universe. Poor Pathan will feel lonely all by himself.... full review

Thumbs down, by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice : ...Rohit Shetty insists that we get entertained by his breathless brouhaha. But it is a losing battle. Even with Ajay Devgn doing his somersaults with swag, how many times are we going to see Shetty make the same film over and over again?... full review

Thumbs down, by Asra Mavad, Deccan Herald : ...The performances too are a mixed bag. While Arjun makes for a half-decent villain, Deepika has delivered one of her worst performances yet. Ajay brings a subdued version of the original ‘Singham’. Ranveer’s comic timing is worthy of a mention, helpin...... full review

Thumbs down, by Baradwaj Rangan, galatta.com : ...Singham Again is watchable in a generic way, and the end credits promise a new entrant to this Cop Universe, from one of my favourite Hindi masala movies of this millennium. If this film makes a ton of money and the next one gets made, I’d be interested in watching what they do with that character!... full review

Thumbs down, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...But it’s all so same-old that even the new locations don’t help. Neither does all the blatant-referencing-and-copy-pasting of the great epic, whose scenes can act as pointers when someone else tries their hand at a Bollywood Ramayan in New India.... full review

Thumbs down, by Shreshtha Chaudhury, koimoi : ...Watch or Not?: Unless you are an Ajay Devgn fan or someone who loves to keep the brains and logic at home, you are free to take the plunge.... full review

Thumbs down, by Mayank Shekhar, MiD DAY : ...You simply admire the villain’s mighty confidence in this movie then. Matched only by the filmmakers’ themselves—as a disinterested, bearded Salman Khan (apparently from Dabangg) appears after the end-credits roll.... full review

Thumbs down, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...As for Singham himself, another outing would be one too many. The crackers in this one are all noise and no nous. Did anyone expect anything different?... full review

Thumbs down, by Isha Sharma, NewsBytes : ...Watch only if you follow the Cop Universe; skip otherwise An overcooked and largely unpalatable khichdi, Singham Again is a forceful union of stars and squanders the opportunity to mine the potential of its ensemble cast. With an outdated storyline, no twists, and a runtime that feels longer than it is (it's a little over 140 minutes) long, SA bites more than it can chew. It's nothing you haven't already seen before.... full review

Thumbs down, by Deepa Gahlot, Rediff : ...Singham Again ends with Chulbul Pandey (Salman Khan) popping in, promising an addition to the cop universe. Maybe some Dabangg masala is just what Singham needs.... full review

Thumbs down, by Shilajit Mitra, The Hindu : ...It is difficult to overlook, given the franchise’s track record, the religious and majoritarian signalling that permeates every frame of Singham Again (‘Ayodhya’ is mentioned often, and there is a play on the words ‘jhanki’ and ‘baki’). Shetty would likely defend his film as a work of escapist entertainment. But by that metric too it disappoints. The assembly of stars in the climax is as slapdash and bereft of fresh ideas as the one that capped Sooryavanshi. The Cop Universe is nearing a heat death. No cameo — not even one by a famously effervescent Bihar cop — can mask its creative shortfall.... full review

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