‘Singham’ isn’t an unwatchable film, but how many times can you watch bad guys being whipped with a belt? Or heads being pummeled by a bare fist? There is such a thing as overkill, after all. I suspect it’s going to make a load of money; I only wish it was a better film. Ajay Devgn fans won’t be disappointed.

‘Singham’ works in bits and pieces, only when Devgn gets fully into his stride, squaring up to Raj as he hits the high notes. The rest is just stitched-up scenery.

All I can personally say about this trend of remaking one-note Southern hits as a viewer is that it’s an exhausting one. It is in the tiny victories that we must seek refuge after a film like this: I’m just glad the hero, so eager to peel off his uniform, left his pants on.

Singham isn’t all retro stuff, since scam-tainted India finds a voice and a vision in this mainstream kitsch.

Devgn walks to beats similar to Salman’s Dabanng. He beats the crap out of ruffians outside a village theatre. He restores his woman’s honour. Besotted, she chases him. Audiences think even more highly of the hero. He beats the crap some more.

Singham is an old-fashioned but rousing Hindi commercial film that pretty much restores one’s faith in this often-maligned brand of cinema. It has super-duper hit written all over it. No matter how dismissive you might be of films that have no space for shades of grey, chances are that Singham will disarm you, if only for a bit.

If you’re looking for an action film to entertain you this weekend, Singham isn’t that film. This wannabe Dabangg is at best a comic film but there are so many other options that could do the job much better. Give this one a miss.

Cent percent, watch it! And if you want to double your enjoyment, watch it with a big group of friends and family.

On the whole, SINGHAM is a full-on masala film that works big time for varied reasons: The energetic drama, the terrific confrontations, the raw stunts and of course, for the three ‘heroes’ — Ajay Devgn, Prakash Raj and director Rohit Shetty. It’s a complete package of entertainment for the masses and devoted fans of masala movies. This one is sure to roar at the box-office. It has Blockbuster written all over it!

With a lot of noise (read loud) and no substance, SINGHAM brings no
khushi and only gham.

So while Singham does roar his loudest, it doesn’t always frighten.

‘Singham’ is a masala pot-boiler which draws applause and whistles. The film has raw energy which makes it instantly likeable, thereby beguiling you with its own unique charm. Watch out for the exhilarating performance of Ajay Devgn and Prakash Raj.

His usual routine is to first run a mile or so, then jump high up in the air and come down with a thump on the head of whoever is unfortunate enough to be around. He follows that up with the regulatory “Wham! Bam! Pow!” punches and then whips off his belt and goes on a lashing spree. Since all this happens in slo-mo, the film clocks all those extra minutes.