Dabangg Movie Review & Audience Response, Post Release

Dabangg is a lighthearted love story and also a heavy- duty action film. If that sounds like a dichotomy, it is not, really. Salman may be a cheerfully corrupt police inspector, but he is also man of honour (there comes the dichotomy part again!). Yet, it is entertainment (sometimes even mindless, but it’s still entertainment) that Salman was made for, and that is what he delivers.

It is as if he was born to play the role of Chulbul Pandey. As a result, the actor’s charisma takes over even when we are confronted with archetypal filmy ingredients. You’d expect an unabashed masala entertainer, and that is exactly what you get.


Our Pandeyji is stationed at Lalganj in Uttar Pradesh. Naturally, as a Hindi film hero, he loves his mother (Dimple Kapadia) but hates his stepfather Prajapati Pandey (Vinod Khanna) and his dumb stepbrother Makhi (Arbaaz Khan). Like any other Hindi film hero, Pandey falls in love with the village belle Rajo (Sonakshi Sinha). And, like any other Hindi film hero, he takes up cudgels against the evil local politician Chhedi Singh (Sonu Sood).

When Pandey’s mother dies, Chhedi manipulates Makhi to plot against his stepbrother only to further his political cause. But remember this is a Hindi film, not a Jeffrey Archer thriller. Fratricide is unheard of, so Makhi breaks down when asked to kill Chulbul. Despite the humour, despite the melodrama, despite the action, despite the intrigue and despite the romance, Salman carries his role with the finesse of a ballet dancer executing a difficult move. And that inimitable swagger would give even Rajinikanth goosebumps.

Salman mixes this with almost genius sense of timing is his comedy making some scenes delightfully memorable. In one such, Chulbul launches into an impromptu dance step while doing daredevil stunts, all to the tune of a song from a previous Salman movie Wanted . When he is at his charming best during his proposal to Rajo or when he beats dozens of armed men using a water hose, you can’t but help love Chulbul’s attitude.

Dabangg may be full of cinematic clichés – conniving politicians, familial misunderstandings, a mother’s death, revenge and emotional drama — but Kashyap’s novel treatment and Salman’s top form lend it all the zing it needs.

If you were asked to pick one flaw, it would have to be the plot structure. Chulbul’s love- hate relationship with his stepfather and stepbrother doesn’t seem convincing at all. Besides, the story moves in random directions.

And if only Kashyap had deleted a couple of songs, the film would have had much of the tautness it desperately needs.But Sonakshi makes a surprisingly confident debut. She is not your typical lead actress, but the camera loves her. Sonu Sood’s growth as an actor is commendable.

Arbaaz is a disappointment, though. Vinod Khanna has nothing much to do and Dimple Kapadia just about makes the cut. Sadly, stalwarts Anupam Kher and Om Puri are wasted in inconsequential roles. A big hand to Kashyap, however the debutant director takes a largely routine plot and converts it into a complete entertainer.

Sajid Wajid and Lalit Pandit’s music – especially Tere mast mast do nain and Munni badnaam hui – fits the mood of the film and its characters. In sum, Dabangg may come across as old wine in a new bottle but the wine has never been zingier.

Salman Khan Fans hail to thier God and categories thing among one of the finest films of Sallu Bhai.

Rating - 4 / 5