Movie Review : Dabangg2

Rating : 3/5
Genre : Drama
Year : 2012
Running time : 2 hours 10 minutes
Director : Arbaaz Khan
Cast : Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Prakash Raj, Vinod Khanna, Arbaaz Khan
Kid rating : PG-13

Chulbul Pandey is back this time with father Prajapati Pandey (Khanna) brother Makhandas (Arbaaz Khan) and new wife Rajjo (Sonakshi Sinha) in tow. Dear Ma has died and brother Makkhi has turned over a new leaf (need more reminders?) Chulbul asks for a transfer to Kanpur, where he proceeds to wreak havoc on the local criminals. Chief among the criminals is politician Baccha Bhaiyya (Prakash Raj) who is contesting the upcoming elections.

Chulbul “Robin Hood Kungfu” Pande is upto the same antics again. Like in Dabangg, here too he accompanies the dhishum-dhishum with playful antics interspersed with energetic dance numbers. It is to Salman’s credit that he makes the cheesy Chulbul-ism’s work, and gives it his all, whether it’s giggling or pelvic-thrusting his way through the film. Sonakshi Sinha has transformed from the ghaagra choli wearing single girl Rajjo to the chiffon saree clad Mrs. Chulbul Pandey. She spends her time cooking, cleaning, hanging out the washing/other homely things, relegating some of her time to batting her eyelashes /waiting for husband dearest at saree shops or accompanying him in raunchy dance numbers side-by-side with the neighborhood nautch girl.

Prakash Raj makes a formidable villain. Vinod Khanna has little to do except be fatherly. Arbaaz Khan is Makkhi, just as daft, although not as villainish anymore. This film is what it is, an all out masala entertainer – no sense or logic needed. Dialogues are daft and the sly innuendoes reminded me of Kader Khan’s dialog writing skills. Direction is poor. The music is passable – with “Maare Seeti” number displaying infectious number – me thinks they need not have bothered with bringing in “Munni” (Malaika) in at all! Kareena makes a short appearance in the “Fevicol Se” song.

The problems with this film are too many too list, but let me list my one big objection. Dabangg2 reiterates the “traditionalist” roles for it’s men and women. While Chulbul is brawny and rains fistcuffs, his wife is the dutiful daughter-in-law and simpering consort to her manly man. It is another thing that I probably am out of touch what constitutes a “good” hero, because Chulbul fails to be one in my book. He is a good son, a good brother, talks respectfully to his mother’s garlanded photo on the wall, but of questionable morality when it comes to his wife, as he talks of brothel-houses with great familiarity and spends much of his gusto-filled evenings there.

This is the film to see if you want silly and pointless. Aim any higher and this film falls short. This is Dabangg Version 2.0 and rather worse for the wear.

Kidwise : I read in India Today that Salman Khan continues to make “clean, entertaining” films with Dabangg2, because the film apparently was passed by the Censor Board with a UA certificate and no cuts. If this is “clean” then there is a disconnect here. UA translates to PG-13, but I’d advice restraint for kids in general – the film has large doses of sleaze, not to mention the “Fevicol Se” number which is one of the vulgarest dance sequences I’ve seen, and I’ve seen all of them. “Sheila ki jawani” looks almost classy by comparison.

With the recent Delhi crime I am even more critical of the out-dated gender roles and societal mores that the film stresses upon. Bollywood “culture” might not be THE problem but it does create an atmosphere where women aren’t their own agents, just helpless beings in need of protection.