Singham again: roars but barely soars

Rohit Shetty, the filmmaker once famed for defying physics with his epic car blasts, shifted gears to no-brainer, multi-cast films packed with characters flaunting outlandish quirks. And guess what? The masses loved it, that’s the key word here ‘masses’. For many, Shetty’s films are the ultimate guilty pleasure, reminiscent of the 70s and 80s cinema where a simple plot was wildly overdone, only to bring it all together in a classic climax. His Cop Universe was a smart move, he brilliantly linked Singham in Simmba and then introduced Sooryavanshi in Singham Returns, building a loyal following along the way.

Though his web series, Indian Police Force, didn’t fare well on Amazon Prime, Shetty is back with a Diwali-style blockbuster, think big explosions and high-stakes drama. Singham Again promises a star-studded extravaganza, with Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, Tiger Shroff, and Jackie Shroff, among others, taking the stage. It’s everything Shetty fans crave, cranked up to full throttle.

Bajirao Singham is now settled with his wife, Avni, and their young son. But peace is short-lived as Singham is transferred to Srinagar, where he faces a sinister threat from Omar Hafeez, the Lashkar leader who escaped Pakistan and is using drug trade profits to fund another terror strike on India. When Omar warns Singham of a deadly vengeance involving Simmba and Sooryavanshi, Singham takes matters into his own hands.

With a new elite unit, the Shiva Squad, Singham targets Omar's drug syndicate. But things escalate when Avni is kidnapped by Danger Lanka, one of Omar’s key operatives. Racing against time, Singham and his allies, including DCP Shakti Shetty and ACP Satya Bali, uncover a deeper plot tied to Zubair Hafeez, Omar’s vengeful grandson, and Iqra Hafeez, his aunt. Together, they lay out a high-stakes rescue mission in Sri Lanka, ultimately leading to a final showdown. With Sooryavanshi and Simmba joining the action, the team rescues Avni, ending the terror network’s reign. Back home, Avni’s cultural production, Ramlila, is a grand success. In a post-credits twist, Chulbul Pandey shows up, ready to join the legendary Shiva Squad.

Singham Again brings back the iconic ensemble from Rohit Shetty’s cop universe, staying true to his style of gathering everyone on one explosive screen. In the centre is Singham (Ajay Devgn), the unshakeable force, serious, no-nonsense, and deeply patriotic. Singham’s commitment to country, family, and justice is unbreakable, and he’s ready to go to any length to defend them.

Then, we have Simmba (Ranveer Singh), who brings pure fun to the franchise with his humour and trademark swagger, aimed right at the kids and front-row crowd. Sooryavanshi (Akshay Kumar) is all about high-octane action, precision, and a certain ruthlessness that adds grit to the team. The latest additions? Shakti Shetty (Deepika Padukone), also known as “Lady Singham,” who idolises Singham with fierce admiration, and Satya Bali (Tiger Shroff), the new, fearless recruit who is determined to prove his loyalty to Singham, no matter the stakes.

Of course, no Rohit Shetty film is incomplete without a formidable villain, and Danger Lanka (Arjun Kapoor) steps up to the challenge, deadly, smart, and ruthlessly loyal to his family. And don’t miss the surprise appearance in the post-credits scene, which Shetty fans won’t want to miss.

During the film's promotion, much was made of its storyline being inspired by and linked to the Ramayana. Sadly, what we see on screen is anything but cohesive or logical. If you’re looking for a gripping clash inspired by Rama and Raavana, two films that did this beautifully come to mind: Abhishek Bachchan’s Raavan (2010) and the Akshay Kumar-Suniel Shetty starrer Dhadkan (2000). Both films drew parallels with the Ramayana, weaving their narratives with elegance and purpose, qualities that Singham Again simply doesn’t capture.

Take Govinda’s interpretation of Hanumaan in Raavan, a character that added depth and intrigue, compared to Ranveer Singh here, who leans too heavily on exaggerated expressions. The characters lack strong writing, making this attempt at an epic tale feel anything but Ramayana. Removing the Ramleela subplot could have resulted in a tighter, more engaging film that would resonate better with audiences.

The fan base of Rohit Shetty’s cop-universe is definitely not interested in watching high octane drama, brilliant performances or stories that inspire or are relatable, hence there is nothing much to talk about in regard to the performances and storytelling. They all fall flat or let’s put it like there was no room for performances in this installment of the Singham. However, there are a few scenes and actors who stand out not because of the script but because of the kind of performers they are. Those who have seen Arjun Kapoor’s Ishaqzaade and Aurangzeb must have an idea about his wild streak. He plays well in negative shades. Similarly, in Singham Again, Arjun Kapoor performs his part well. His scenes with Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh show his prowess in handling difficult characters with darker shades. In a scene with Kareena Kapoor, he establishes his character as an intelligent villain.

Ajay Devgn is the soul of this cop universe and he is at home ground when playing Bajirao Singham. He gives an earnest performance that is an extension of his previous Singham mannerism. Deepika Padukone looks way too irritating as Shakti Shetty. In the film she claims to be fan of Singham but the way she acted reminded me of Inspector Urmila Martodkar, played by Isha Kopikar, from Kya Kool Hain Hum. She walked and talked like her and the remaining characteristics were taken from Simmba’s character. Kareena Kapoor is another letdown in the movie. She performs her part halfheartedly. There are a few scenes where she could have made strong mark but she fails to bring the zing to her performance.

Looking at Tiger Shroff doing what he does best is definitely a treat. His stunts are like fluid but when it comes to performance, his performance is below average, like always. Action scenes look funny and super unrealistic. Imagine police officers not using rifles or pistols but locking up police stations’ doors so they don’t have to fight the gangsters. It felt like they were planted at convenient points to be beaten up by goons.

In this movie, the Government of India (GoI) supposedly lacks modern satellite tracking, resorting to setting up roadblocks across the city like it’s the ’90s. But when they do finally access satellite imagery, it’s somehow a tilted, drone-like angle instead of a proper bird’s-eye view.

The storyline unabashedly portrays India taking down enemies on foreign soil without so much as a courtesy call to the host government. At a time when international relations are under the spotlight, this “cloak-and-dagger” approach feels massively out of sync. And while the film proudly claims that “India doesn’t negotiate with terrorists,” it does seem that the government will spare no expense when it’s about rescuing Bajirao’s wife.

And for the grand finale, the GoI sends an entire aircraft carrier into international waters to retrieve six low-ranking officers from an “undercover” mission, only for the Sri Lankan police to conveniently show up and nab the villain, who’s already deceased, mind you. Not a peep from the global community, either. Seems like "clandestine" has taken on a whole new meaning.

Singham Again is classic masala cinema, designed to stir up sentimental ties to the Ramayana for that emotional pull, while layering on heavy action and explosions. It’s tailor-made for the masses, especially those front-row fans who live for big blasts and over-the-top moments. There’s a crowded lineup of heroes, a good dose of mindless action, and the same brand of comedy that’s been recycled year after year.

And then there’s the Salman Khan cameo — quite a letdown. His father’s iconic line, “Ab Ayega Maza” from Sholay (Gabbar Singh's classic), feels awkwardly shoehorned in, coming off as forced rather than nostalgic. Even die-hard Salman fans would cringe at this half-hearted appearance. After all, you cannot expect The Silence of the Lambs kind of experience from The Expendables. Singham Again gets a three out of five from me.

Shafiq Ul Hassan Siddiqui is a film and TV critic, and a digital inbound marketer. He tweets @shafiqulhasan81 and can be followed on Instagram @shafiqpenworks

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