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Cast: Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Prakash Raj, Arbaaz Khan and Vinod Khanna
Director: Arbaaz Khan
Genre: Action/Comedy
Rating: 3/5
All Salman Khan needs to do is just show up and money comes pouring in to the Hindi film industry. No matter how many flops and fails happen at the Box Office, it feels as if Bollywood and its investors await for that Sallu release at the end of the year to balance everything out. He did that with Wanted, Dabangg, Ready and now definitely does it again with Dabangg 2.
Khan does more than just show up in this film. He demolishes cars with his bare hands, overthrows bulky individuals as if they’re mosquitoes, randomly does his signature dance shake, romances and says some of the quirkiest one-liners. He pretty much does everything you would want to see a masala hero do. What makes it even better in this particular case is that Khan carries himself very naturally that it feels like he isn’t even trying. He fits in the character in such a way that we forget that he’s Salman Khan in real life and is merely a “taking-no-drama” cop Chulbul ‘Robin Hood’ Pandey, or as his colleagues call him – Kung Fu Pandey. Whatever the film is, it belongs entirely to him and just him!
Salman Khan
Even though Dabangg 2 is considered a sequel to its predecessor, there is not much of a connection. The background from Dabangg does not serve a great purpose in the second installment. The story line is very invisible at points. It will start somewhere, but will always manage to not find an end. There are rumors already for Dabangg 3, which might be a prequel to the franchise, providing the viewers of how Chulbul Pandey came to be. If they do decide to make a Dabangg 3, a little more focus should be put on the aspect of some storyline that should be followed. Khan does have a few comical and action scenes that do the job but only with their extra flavor of that so-called masala. Most scenes go slightly over the top. Who are we kidding though, this is your typical no-brainer Bollywood flick which actually sells, but there should be some substance. Moreover, the average movie-goer now wants more than just some kicks and laughs; our viewership is getting smarter.
Kareena Kapoor’s ‘Fevicol’ item number genuinely does the job for this particular film but does not stand up to the expectations that Malaika Arora Khan left in Munni Bandam from Dabangg. On a positive note, she does make a special appearance, so watch out for that!
Kareena Kapoor
Sonakshi Sinha does exactly what is demanded by her character. She looks extremely sensuous in the role of a housewife and compliments the personality that Khan portrays. The relationship and connection that Khan has with Vinod Khanna (his father in the film) is very adorable and definitely adds to their chemistry. Debutant director Arbaaz Khan does not have a significant role in the fil,m but he did do a hefty job behind the scenes for Dabangg 2 in terms of direction as well as marketing and promotion. Although, he has been a successful producer in the past, his direction skills will take some time and experience to get polished. Prakash Raj is not so convincing being the negative impact of the film as much as he had carried himself in the Ajay Devgn starrer, ‘Singham.’ The music provided by the hype duo of Sajid-Wajid is pretty impressive and will not make you want to be able to forward the tracks. ‘Fevicol’ & ‘Dagabaaz Re’ are extremely catchy and compliment the lyrics and the singers.
Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha
The first weekend for Dabangg 2 was record-breaking for this year. The initial three days saw the film receiving INR 58.26 crores (USD 10.6 million) in profits beating the previous record holder, Ek Tha Tiger. Not that it matters for Salman Khan now, does it? His fees for a single film sometimes even surpasses that of the total budget of the film itself! Being the final release of the year and releasing during the holiday season, Dabangg 2 will be making a lot more money than anticipated. If you’re a Sallu-bhai fan and love some kicks and punches that will break cars and faces alike, you should definitely go for a watch. On the other hand, if your patience for something worthwhile is not that high, a break is suggested and just listening to the film soundtrack shall be sufficient. Overall, Dabangg 2 is successful financially, not critically.
