Dabangg 2 (2012)

Directed By - Arbaaz Khan

Starring - Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Vinod Khanna, Arbaaz Khan, Prakash Raj

Before I start i would like to make it clear that i took all the necessary precautions needed for a Salman Khan film. I left my logic and brains in the hostel, ignored my knowledge of the laws of physics, did not expect a storyline. Frankly i just needed to enjoy myself after a rough week. And despite all this i did not get the one thing i WAS expecting - uninhibited entertainment. Isn't that the promise/excuse all Salman films come wrapped in?

Picking up from where the prequel ended. Chulbul-Robin Hood- Pandey has taken a voluntary transfer to Kanpur hoping to make big name for himself in a big city. He has his father, his wife and his brother by his side. Life from a professional as well as personal viewpoint is good for Pandey. But Kanpur is a crime ridden city, under the rule of Mafioso turned politician Baccha Bhai (Raj) who along with his brothers terrorise the city and have no regard for the law whatsoever. Quite expectedly Chulbul comes face to face with his adversary in a style reminiscent of the earlier film - he hates crooks and the man at some level hurt's Pandey's ego.

As both sides lay out their cards, the fight turns personal and what Chulbul does next (which truthfully isn't rocket science) is what the rest of the film is about. 

While Dabangg 1 wasn't close to being a great film it was wholeheartedly enjoyable. The unpredictability and rustic style of Abhinav Kashyap is what attracted the audience and gave Salman his resurrected image. This is where Dabanng 2 fails big time. I was never expecting a storyline (I Swear!) but this film completely lacks direction. Arbaaz does not know what he wants to do with film. His obvious intention is trying to turn Dabanng into a franchise (like Indiana Jones or James bond) and you are reminded of the earlier blockbuster in a number of ways - comic characters like the camera guy and the phone guy returning, to the mention of 'between two legs' to flashbacks dedicated to the prowess of Salman or slapstick sidekick cops. So you have random unplanned songs popping up here and there and fight scenes involving slo-mo shots to show the impact of each blow. Those smart one liners are there but few and far in between also the standard item song       

featuring a very sexy Kareena Kapoor-Khan is present. Now one asks me despite the standard ingredients whats wrong with the film?. The problem is, while Arbaaz knows what he wants to show he does not know how to show it. As a result the songs seem forced, the humor seems untimed   (except a select few scenes) and the actions lack the thrills of the earlier, film, or for that matter any Salman Khan film. You are thrown off track with the screenplay continuously changing directions and cant seem to concentrate on important moments- which, frankly, was the strength of its predecessor. But despite all this (in all honesty) there times when you find yourself enjoying during the film - like the scene in which he kills the villains brother(according to me the best scene in the film) or when he playfully teases his father or his banter with his strong willed wife. But in a 129 minute film, these moments are precious little. What Arbaaz does correctly though is to allow his elder brother to take center stage and the film(like any other) focuses solely on Salman - a demand against which Salman fans will not hear a word.  

But where Khan jr loses out, the elder Khan takes on the responsibility of taking the film forward. Appearing in a role that has Salman Khan written on it from start to finish, Salman picks up effortlessly from the earlier film. The attitude is pitch perfect, the body is tighter than ever and the aura is present in every scene. Salman delivers exactly what is expected from him - entertainment without any excuses. He is once again fantastic as the honest-yet-not-so-honest cop and delivers a sincere performance.But sadly this time its a thumping act in a not even remotely thumping film. What is also a major deterrent to the film is the lack of a good villain. Prakash Raj who has become B-Town's favourite bad man is saddled with a sketchily written role.He is nowhere as mencaing as Chedi Singh (Sood) and is reduced to a nose flaring, eyes popping caricature.

All in All.Dabangg 2 has Salman and despite whatever happens its a sure shot winner at the box-office (sometimes i wonder i should just make a collage of salman pictures and distribute it to theatres...it would be an easy 100 crores). It has the correct ingredients but not in the correct measure. Salman delivers yet another time with a great performance but his brother just makes a yawn inducing recipe of the rest. Watch it  only if you are major Salman khan fan. And lord (and possibly the entire world) knows i am not.

Rating - 6.2/10