Singham Again Or Ramayana Deconstructed n destroyed with Chewing Gum Star cast?
I am not a big fan of Singham Franchise. I saw the first one out of sheer boredom with a friend and given the overall theatre experience, I liked it. The film became a success. And later, came with multiple franchises/sequels but I have yet to see any of them including Sooryavanshi despite boredom. But I had high hopes for Singham Again. So when I saw an official trailer released on YouTube, I could not wait but had to see it. And it left such a bad taste. Why?
Let's talk about the good things/appeals first. The film has an array of popular stars. It is studded with Bollywood stars, including some of my favorites. From the action genre they have Ajay Devgun [ we like the older version better], Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff [I dunno why is he so underrated?], and Jackie Shroff [80s ka cop verse]. For glamor, it has Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. There are other actors including an over-enthusiastic [straight from the set of Cirkus] Ranveer SINGH, a very talented Ravi Kishan [cast in a serious role?], and a very stale-looking Arjun Kapoor. Still, the film manages to kill Josh and fails to impress. Oops, it was a trailer right, and not a film. Well, the trailer was so elaborate that it barely left anything for the film. Oops, baring the Chulbul Pandey's cameo.
The film has an interwoven [whyy] holy Ramayan story, where the modern-day protagonist looks less like idols and more like Jokers.
Talking about the Parallel, which actually makes for a perpendicular bisector with one side having fans of the film, lapping the crap and the other side, audiences like us who are so done with Bollywood hero-worshipping that even interweaving [again whyy] Ramayan would not help but makes it look gimmickry n caricaturish.
Ramayan is not a comic book: Caricaturish Casting
The overall cast, as an ensemble doesn't gel in. It's hard to see Kareena as Maa Sita, though she is one of my most liked actresses, she doesn't fit the bill. If age wasn't an issue, Aishwarya Rai would have still looked better in this role. Ma Sita is someone who commands purity, grace, and respect. Kareena looks far independent and like she will just break into Fevicol's song. The film supposedly has Salman Khan's, Chulbul Cameo. Maybe instead of Ramayan, it could have been Mahabharta as Kareena's Avni has 5 cops coming to rescue her against one villain, as flimsy as Ki ka Ka. Ranveer Singh as Hanumanji is too goofy. And irrespective of all the sins that Ravana may have committed, Arjun Kapoor's casting for this role is like Bollywood at its worst casting ever! Does he cut off as a powerful antagonist who requires an entire army of seasoned actors, fighting with him? Too much.
A Pan masala endorsing Devgan could be a Singham but Ram? Akshay Kumar as Jatayu? Really Rohit Shetty what has gotten into you. The cop universe idea is good but not with the Vimal Gutka gang. It repels more than impresses. The ensemble could have been better.
Bollywood seems to be currently, obsessed with sequels and franchises. If the formula is working for them fine, but how about original ideas and storylines? There is a difference between Ramayan and Avengers. Avengers is a comic book, and its success may have propelled many filmmakers to make superhero-like franchises of their own but with their limited creativity and myopic narration.
Even if you want to use Ramayan as a common ground at least make the context worthy, and bring a cast that could do cinematic justice.
Which Ramayn character Deepika Padukone is Playing?
After "Katappa ne Bahubali ko kyu mara", I guess this would be the next most discussed question which thankfully won't make you wait till the release of part 2. Well, not meaning to brag but I very well guessed the Katappa Bahubali riddle while watching the first film. For this one, my wild guess would be Sugreev. She is a lady Chewing gum oops Singham but most of her dialogue part looks like chewing gum only.
Deepika tries to be Ranvir and Ranvir goofs up again. I still love Dara Singhji as Hanumanji as I feel he was the best ever. Deeepika's glam looks, and fit persona get badly ditched as soon as she opens her mouth to deliver some really horrible cliche dialogues. It looks as horrible as her sleep-talking scene from Chennai Express. No, that was entertaining in parts, this one is- caricaturish and repetitive unless the movie shows that she dumps Halwai and becomes a cop.
It was refreshing to see Shweta Tiwari in a cameo. And Daya is also there with the legend dialog "Daya Darwaza tod". But the delivery? It is an iconic dialogue but the way Kareena spills it out, it lands bland unless supported by CGI and Dolby in theaters. The actors look heavily hamming. Babaji, the Ramayana parallel is so unsettling. Sari pehna ke bindi laga di aur Poo ko Parvati bana diya? Joker ko Hanuman. And added "Jai Maharashtra" as another prop to entice audience' awe?? All these could have looked good a decade back. Today they look stale and very cheap tactics that play with audiences' emotions. Tsch. Problem with the the film is that it has too many caricatures. too many.
Singham ka Bhajipao Chewing gum
It's not about the genre but every idea has a shelf life and while the "cop universe" is a new idea somehow the trailer doesn't cut the thrill it was meant to. There is almost everything in the trailer which in a way is good for fan frenzy and fan pages to promote the content and clippings over the social media. Like they did with Animal, making Bobby Deol' cameo a big hit and quite a puller for people who haven't seen the film, to go and watch the film. Yours truly was being the one. Singham Again' trailer is probably trying to bank the same strategy and may encash it as well.
Well, to each their own. Maybe the film manage to rest the cliche and entertain all alike. It may be a hit as well. So far it looks like a mass movie, meant for star crazy audience. Such is my love for the franchise which I think is nothing but good old Bollywood star machismo cinema that no longer holds relevance but will entice ensemble fans of ensemble casts. Fans to Rakhi Sawant ke bhi hai. What do you mean she is playing Shoorpnakha in this film? Lolz, they need someone to do an item number with Chulbul Pandey as Malaika broke with Arjun and Kareena replaced Kajal Agrawal as Avni.
Do not tell me, this film has Kajol as a guest star or SRK's Jawan joining the cop universe. Hey Maa, Mataji. Daya ben, I mean Daya karo.