Street Dancer 3D

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?) - That too only if you absolutely love watching hip-hop dance performances.

quick review:

An excuse to choreograph a whole load of dances, though it seemed like one long dance broken by bits of story around empathy and international integration.

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Director: Remo D'Souza
Running time: 140 minutes
Genres: Social
More Movie Info

Street Dancer 3D - Preview

It is obvious what they are trying to do here—merging the dance-competition genre with the sports-drama genre, with a splash of India-Pakistan thrown in. At this itself, the concepts seem forced on to each other. Pile on a layer of contrived rivalry that we know is predictably going to turn into friendship and you are most likely going to feel played by the set-up. Yes, despite seeing it coming 30 seconds into the trailer.

Here’s hoping the choreography will arrest our attention despite the distracting 3D in the film’s title.

Street Dancer 3 releases on 24 January 2020.

- meeta, a part of the audience

How many hip-hop dance performances can you watch at one go? That is the only question that you need to answer before deciding whether you want to watch Street Dancer. The film actually feels like an urge to keep choreographing these dance performances. And then, of course, you have to have some kind of a story. To the writers’ credit, they do not take the audience totally for granted. But, unfortunately, that is not enough.

Instead we have bad puns, worse jokes, innuendoes, slapstick, and loads of predictability.

Granted, I am far, far away from being any sort of authority on dance, but there are likely many people in the audience are like me. To this untrained eye, the characters harping about being “new” or “different”, was amusing. They all looked more or less the same, with an occasional one-step surprise thrown in. Of course, even the “same” stuff require an extraordinary amount of skill. But, would that justify a movie?

Now, if all the dances had the kind of emotion that two of the pieces had, then stringing dances together to make a movie could be explained. They connected with what was happening in the film and had soul. Other than that, though, the story could have run on one screen while the dances ran on another. And they could have sold as two separate shows.

The story-writing is a notch below ordinary. I couldn’t wrap my head around one relatively important lady character in the story. Her boyfriend makes her angry in her first scene, she inexplicably comes around to help him in the next one, only to be dumped by him later, without getting any explanation...and then she is gone from the film!

Actually, the writing is such that even capable actors like Aparshakti Khurana cannot give it a lift. The rest of the performances don’t really ask much of the actors except more-or-less following a drill. Varun Dhawan moves between being bossy when with friends, holding a grudge when with Shraddha Kapoor, and being full of admiration when with his brother. Shraddha Kapoor uses her eyes to express anger and empathy. The rest of the cast, much like the characters, is quite nondescript.

The bothersome bit is that the themes like insecurity of people who are doing well, rivalry for the sake of rivalry, nationalism, and the many shades of ‘othering’ could have been explored even within the parameters of the film. That the film is inspired by the work of an NGO could have been looked into further. Instead, we have bad puns, worse jokes, innuendoes, slapstick, and loads of predictability. Taking it a step further, we have logical gaps and preachy spiels.

But hey, you get to see Prabhu Deva dance.

- meeta, a part of the audience

33 reviewers(?) - 7 yays 13 so-so 13 nays

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

Thumbs up, by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice : ...Not all of this film can afford to experiment with truth. But whenever it sets his heart on a higher plane than its mind, the film soars, the body shakes to a quivering rhythm.... full review

Thumbs up, Bollywood Hungama : ...On the whole, STREET DANCER 3D is a terrific combination of rich visuals, amazing choreography and strong emotions. At the box office, it will appeal to its target audience - the youth and is most likely to enter the 100 crore club.... full review

Thumbs up, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ...The 3D effects were kind of unnecessary and the length could have been shortened as well. Street Dancer 3D does offer a visual spectacle when it comes to dance but the patchy story and screenplay dilutes the overall impact.... full review

Thumbs up, by Ambika Sachin, Khaleej Times : ...In the end Street Dancer is a treat for those who love dance movies. And whatever faults it may have in terms of cliched plotlines and melodramatic moments, it more than makes up for it with a host of talented dancers who'd make you wish you could dance even half as well as them!... full review

Thumbs up, by Shalini Sur, Movie Talkies : ...Street Danced 3D is a true-blue massy entertainer, which is a perfect weekend watch for all Hindi Cinema lovers, who love dance, music, glossy locales and entertainment. So give this film a watch if you are one of them.... full review

Thumbs up, by Joginder Tuteja, Planet Bollywood : ...A film belonging to this genre doesn’t warrant any major histrionics when it comes to performances. Hence, what each of the case members bring on board is just apt which goes with the storytelling format. Adequate in the way they go about approaching their respective parts, Varun, Shraddha, Prabhudeva and Nora along with the rest of the starcast go about playing their parts right.... full review

Thumbs up, by Pallabi Dey Purkayastha, Times of India : ...‘Street Dancer 3D’ does have a strong message to send across to its audience – that of love in the face of adversity, compassion towards those we know and those we don’t, and stresses upon the importance of friendship over personal gains – but fails to stitch it together with an organised cinematic fabric. If not for the story, watch it for the love of dance. And, get ready to groove and move!... full review

So-So, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...For me those 5 minutes gave me the return of my time and money spent. But cannot say, if that would be enough for the readers to go for this typically routine and below average film. Besides, I don’t know how many of you will relate with the kind of dance movements now popularly known by different names in the present scenario. If you ask me, as mentioned above, it all seems to be more like gymnastics than dancing, in my humble opinion.... full review

So-So, by Urmimala Banerjee, Bollywood Life : ...Street Dancer 3D has a good second half and some spectacular dances. And Prabhudheva fans will love his cameo.... full review

So-So, by SUPARNA SHARMA, Deccan Chronicle : ...We wait and wait, and when he does finally come on, we see that he no longer has the agility he once did, and his small movements seem minuscule in front of many young so-and-so somersaulting, flying in the air and landing in crotch-tearing splits.... full review

So-So, by Madhuri V, Filmi Beat : ...One of the dialogues in the film goes like, 'Champion bhi ikka tab nikalta jab saamne baadshah hota hai.' In this Varun Dhawan-Shraddha Kapoor starrer, the ace card is the mind-boggling dance sequences which keep your eyes glued to the screen.... full review

So-So, by Swetha Ramakrishan, FirstPost : ...The last two ABCD films boasted of decent music and great dance sequences ('Bezubaan' and 'Ga Ga Ga Ganpati' have a combined total of 500 million views on YouTube), but the same can't be said about Street Dancer 3D. That said, the real tragedy is that the insanely talented Nora Fatehi gets the short end of the stick, with a forgettable role and having to share screen space dancing next to Varun Dhawan, who always manages to steal the spotlight. #giveNoraherownmusicvideo... full review

So-So, by Johnson Thomas, Free Press Journal : ...All dance and little story makes it a rather wearisome experience.... full review

So-So, by Monika Rawal Kukreja, Hindustan Times : ...Unfortunately, Street Dancer is not a genre that everyone will enjoy watching. Take for instance those who have no interest in sitting through dance reality shows on TV, the film doesn’t cater to them, hence, it limits its reach to some extent in that sense. And then, there’s only a limit to which one can watch dance battles. Now, if you insert one song and dance sequence every five to ten minutes, there’s too little one can expect in terms of something different. The film as a whole has nothing special to say, no strong message to give. And each time you get bored, a dance sequence pops up as a wake-up call.... full review

So-So, by Jyoti Kanyal, india today : ...Street Dancer 3D is enjoyable if you like dance to the extent of watching it for two hours non-stop. There are some emotional moments which may make you cry. But if you are going to watch it solely for the performances of the lead actors - Varun and Shraddha - then skip at ease.... full review

So-So, by Shalu Singh, India TV : ...The film runs at a slow pace giving you enough time to intermittently check your phone. Also, it is predictable to a great extent.... full review

So-So, by R.M. Vijayakar, India West : ...The film, oddly enough, does not really manage to stay afloat. Yes, it is better than “ABCD 2” with the same lead pair that managed 100 crore. But the earthy grittiness of “ABCD” is completely missing. THAT was a film, with music that lives on. This is a product. And that’s the difference.... full review

So-So, by Umesh Punwani, koimoi : ...All said and done, Street Dancer 3D delivers what it promises – breathtaking dance. This is closest we’ve got to the Step Up series and that’s an achievement. Watch it for what it is rather than what you expect it to be & you might enjoy it.... full review

So-So, by Kunal Guha, Mumbai Mirror : ...The director does capitalise on including Prabhudheva in this cast. Just witnessing the dance guru groove to the reprised version of his own anthem “Muqabla” is paisa vasool, and momentarily makes you forget the ordeal of putting up with the rest. Nora Fatehi, who plays Sahej’s girlfriend, owns the dance numbers, even while her dispensable role may be written with minimal consideration. Resigned to a soot-covered homeless illegal immigrant, Aparshakti Khurana barely has enough to make much of his stereotyped character and is just as insufferable as the rest.... full review

So-So, by Vinayak Chakravorty, Outlook India : ..."Street Dancer 3D" is a dazzling dance fest. In every other sense, it is an ordinary film.... full review

Thumbs down, by Deepa Gahlot, Deepa Gahlot : ...To show that the film has something to say, there is a forced, weepy human trafficking track that wastes the acting talent of Aparshakti Khurana. Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor have done much better work in the past, so it is strange to find them not just doing this film (the third in the ABCD series) but talking about it as a mainstream achievement. Makes you wonder sometimes if their quotes are ghost written.... full review

Thumbs down, by Vishal Verma, Glamsham.com : ...STREET DANCER 3D has all the razzle-dazzle, the razzmatazz required in a dynamic dance sequence on stage, it has all the right moves as far as the dances are concerned. But precious little to hold attention once the music stops. A nadir in terms of a movie . If dance can conquer all in a cinema and money is everything then STREET DANCER 3D is a fine achievement. Otherwise, you have a choice. Going with 1.5 stars (half each for Varun, Shraddha and Nora Fatehi. Prabhu Deva is God and a God cannot be rated).... full review

Thumbs down, by Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Gulf News : ...Dhawan and Kapoor becoming dance champions to be saviours of undocumented immigrants is almost laughable. A few songs, with complicated dance moves, are intriguing, especially while watching it on a 3D screen, but the story and narrative have two left feet. Watch this only if you have blind faith in Dhawan and Kapoor and they are beyond reproach in your eyes. Otherwise, hop, skip and jump over this film.... full review

Thumbs down, by Ankur Pathak, Huffington Post : ...Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor star in an alarmingly insensitive, silly excuse of a film.... full review

Thumbs down, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...If only the dancing were better.... full review

Thumbs down, by Uday Bhatia, Live Mint : ...Lesser movies offer advice; Street Dancer 3D offers advice that rhymes. “Confidence thrills, overconfidence kills," Anna informs Inayat. She in turn tells Sahej: “We dance to express, you dance to impress." This film exists neither to impress nor express but to oppress and distress.... full review

Thumbs down, by Sonil Dedhia, MiD DAY : ...The dancers — Salman Yusuff Khan, Dharmesh Yelande, Punit Pathak, Raghav Juyal, Prabhudeva and Nora Fatehi — appropriately steal the limelight here, pulling off the task at hand earnestly. The lead actors, Dhawan and Kapoor try, but are reduced to merely delivering motivational speeches.... full review

Thumbs down, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...The thin plot has two principal female characters. Neither is allowed much agency in the matter of where they want their lives to go. Shraddha Kapoor, the lead, has more footage than Nora Fatehi, who is trapped in a role that is barely delineated. Yet, the latter strikes it far richer. Varun Dhawan is all pumped-up, but style outweighs substance in an uneven performance.... full review

Thumbs down, by Rajeev Masand, News18.com : ...Street Dancer 3D left me feeling exhausted, and the 3D, although not bad at all, felt entirely unnecessary. Please god, let them not go in for 4D when they decide to make Street Dancer 4. The thought of sitting in a seat that’ll move and shake and vibrate to the music is already giving me a queasy feeling in my stomach.... full review

Thumbs down, by Vaibhavi V Risbood, Pinkvilla : ...A movie about dancers, penned by a renowned choreographer and featuring few of the best movers of the industry is an elongated version of a slightly better scripted dance reality show. We won't deny the fact that there exists an audience for movies on dance. There is a certain following for the previous dance-based drama by director Remo D’Souza, but relegating a story to mere prop takes a toll on the audience. If you love to see good dance moves, this is the movie for you. Beyond that, don’t expect the story to enthral or engage you.... full review

Thumbs down, by Sukanya Verma, Rediff : ...The average display of lock, pop, twerk, breakdance, dub step dancing against loud, cumbersome music with lyrics like Lal dress mein rani bilkul red velvet ka cake lage only adds to the tedium.... full review

Thumbs down, by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in : ...Nora Fatehi, previously relegated to item songs, burns up the dance floor but is forgotten once Sehaj’s track gets going. Several professional dancers doubling up as actors show off their skills in the background when permitted. The movie leaps to life only in the last 30 minutes, as various crews twist and twirl their way through the inevitable contest. But to get there, you have to wade through sentimental slush and endure trite humour (the tin-eared dialogue is by Farhad Samji) and endless distractions. It’s called Street Dancer, and it’s even in 3D, so just shut up and dance, no?... full review

Thumbs down, by Namrata Joshi, The Hindu : ...The entire set of actors/dancers look as if they are trying very hard to play cool. The only moment that ignites the screen a wee bit is Prabhudeva reprising his Muqabala routine. Even then, it’s all about tapping into the collective nostalgia of the audience, nothing more.... full review

Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.

2 readers - 2 yays 0 so-so 0 nays

Want to Watch, by TimELiebe : "A Whole Load of Dances"? Yes, Pease!

Yay! Thumbs Up, by Nitish : It is a awesome movie

Yay! Thumbs Up, by rohan

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

Parental Guidance:

  • Violence: A couple of scenes with people being slapped
  • Language: Innuendo at a couple of places
  • Nudity & Sexual content: Bare-chested men, skimpily clad women, suggestive dance moves, one lip-to-lip
  • Concept: Rival dance groups competing in a supposedly prestigious dance competition
  • General Look and Feel: Hip-hop

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction:
Story:
Lead Actors:
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Music Director:
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Comments (1)

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Did you say "A Whole Load of Dances"?

We are SO there, Meeta -- who cares about little things like "plot", anyway?

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