Review of Dabangg Movie Reviews

Salman Khan’s Dabangg belongs to a genre where the hero takes precedence over logic, rationale and narrative. Abhinav Kashyap has garnished this Bollywood masala flick with so many spices that the offering is a tad overwhelming but very enjoyable. I guess the director was so focused on a product for the masses that the basic nuances of story-telling were deliberately disregarded.

Nikhat Kazmi writes in the Times of India, that for those who are looking for popular mainstream Hindi cinema, Dabangg is textbook fare. She explains:

Most importantly, it’s not meant to make sense. It’s only meant to entertain. And entertain, it does in overdoses. No, this isn’t meant for people who are looking for different cinema. Nor is it meant for the viewer who likes movies to appeal to his head. Yet, for those who celebrate and serenade the ‘silliness’ of mainstream masala movie lore and swear by its popcorn quotient, Dabangg is the greatest getaway of the season.

Anupama Chopra of NDTV says that Chulbul Pandey is “an absolute delight” but also underlines the fundamental flaws in the plot:

Like its hero, Dabangg doesn’t bother with subtlety or sub-text. Taking a cue from the potboilers of the 1970s and the more recent bone-crunching street heroes being churned out of Chennai – you recall Ghajini and Wanted – debutant director Abhinav Kashyap has created a purposefully loud masala movie.

The dialogues, co-written by Dilip Shukla, are unapologetic clap-traps; the action artfully choreographed by S Vijayan is comic-book – so in the midst of a battle, when a phone rings, Pandey pauses to admire its ring-tone – and the musical score by Sajid-Wajid is deafening enough to beat you into submission.

I must say Dabangg is immensely more watchable than either Ghajini or Wanted. Like Rediff’s Abhishek Mande points out:

Does it entertain? I would go with a loud and emphatic yes. Salman Khan towers over his film in a way that only one other Indian actor can – superstar Rajinikanth. Khan’s extremely overwhelming screen presence demands your attention and grabs you from the first scene itself. He mouths dialogues that would make anyone else saying it look like an idiot and does things — like a swagger or a drawl or something as ridiculous as wearing his sunglasses on his back — that only he can carry off.

For those who are a stickler for the way a plot unfolds, Dabangg might prove to be disappointing. CNN-IBN’s Rajeev Masand says Dabangg is “ordinary, at best average” but he does make a special mention of the romantic angle:

The track that stands out in this fractured narrative is the playful romance between Chulbul and Rajo, the daughter of a local drunk who he practically bullies into falling for him. It helps that newcomer Sonakshi Sinha has a smoldering presence, and is never lost even in scenes in which she has nothing to do. For a change, the half-dozen or so songs in this film are a welcome distraction because they’re distinctly melodious, and because Salman bursts life into them with his comical performance. The imaginatively shot title track, and the Munni badnaam hui item song (filmed on Malaika Arora) are particularly memorable.

If you are someone who can watch a film just for its entertainment quotient without worrying about the plot trajectory, then Dabangg is sure to be a treat. A must watch for Salman Khan fans, like Anupama Chopra said, “Like Amitabh Bachchan and Vijay, Shah Rukh Khan and Raj, the actor and character are a perfect fit.” Chulbul Pandey is an immensely memorable character.

Here is my own review. [Comments on the film are welcome – and you can also connect with me on Twitter]