Julian Barnes said: There is accumulation. There is responsibility. And
beyond these, there is unrest. There is great unrest. This is perhaps the
state of the creative mind of Rohit Shetty. He has surely garnered not just
many films in the 100 crore club and proved that the underdog survives to tell
the story with aplomb. After the accumulation, he has the challenge to live up
to the expectations of his audience and in this context both the expectations
and the perceptions could be bizarre and unrealistic. The resultant ‘unrest’ is
physically visible in the text and content of the roar that returns.
Singham Returns and the roar is sure to bring home the moolah as is visible
with the huge turnout at the long week end theatres. Rohit Shetty functions
under a very defined premise and we need to see his cinema in the context of
his defined terms. It would be futile to talk rationality or finesse in the
setting of his works.
At one level the film seeks to salute that disproportionate number of law and
order watchdogs of Mumbai that keep Mumbaikars safe. The police are saluted in
the manner and style that is so so associated with the Shetty style. A ticket
to a Rohit Shetty film is about the celebration of violence: vehicles SUVs
clashing midair, dust aplenty gun shots in echoic abundance, mayhem,
punchlines, stunts (in salutation to Sr. Devgan and Shetty)
Bajirao Singham is now in Mumbai as the DCP and takes on Swamiji (Amole Gupta)
and his colleague Prakash Rao (Zakir Hussain). Our testosterone filled
protagonist is supported by a team which includes Inspector Daya (Dayanand
Shetty) in familiar territory and is seen encouraging youngistan in the hope
that they do not get branded as criminals. Singham is also inspired by the Anna
Hazare like leader Guruji (Anupam Kher) who is the leader of the political
party which is leading a coalition government through Vikram Adhikari (Mahesh
Manjrekar). Prakash Rao and Swamiji are the corrupt elements who also manage to
assassinate Guruji. The narration is about political intrigue in running a
coalition government, the vice of religious postures in governance, the unholy
alliance between the State and the Church. Money power, corrupt politicians,
naïve citizens, eroding system – all familiar dead horses in our cinema. In the
context of more serious cinema you may have walked the next step and asked as
to where lies the film makers political stance: UPA or NDA but with this film
maker, do not even ask the question. He is out to ‘entertain’ to induce a level
of fun having and based upon his understanding of what his audience want or
expect of him. In this context he does not go wrong.
The punch lines and the stunts are all in place and surely Shetty delivers in
the field of his defined territory. It would be trite to tell that this is not
a very intelligent film much less a stylised film. This not withstanding the
film offers enough and more for the audience that comes with defined
expectations to a Rohit Shetty film. He delivers with expected assuredness and
if his cinema interests you, go for it. It is surely better than the Great
Indian Failure in England or the Great Political Drama of brothers divided on
water and power, fees and bank loans. Look up this film for that defined
entertainment. You will not be disappointed. It is packed with all the works.
Few would have reason to say: Aata Majhi Satakli.
Rating : 3 stars.
+ Rohit Shetty and Ajay Devgan
– tiringly grotesque.