Movie Review: DABANGG

Actors: Salman Khan , Sonakshi Sinha
Director : Abhinav Singh Kashyup

The Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha starrer movie received  mixed reviews.

Dabangg means fearless. DABANGG is a story of Chulbul Pandey aka Robinhood Pandey . He's corrupt but has a 'big heart'. He bashes up fraudulent politicians, goons, loots their money but doesn't think twice in helping the poor and needy.  Elements like love for mother, romance, struggle with step-father and step-brother, an effort to fight corrupt politicians and much more is packed in this film.

Set in Uttar Pradesh, Dabangg is a story of Chulbul Pandey (Salman Khan), a totally fearless but corrupt police officer with unorthodox working methods. Chulbul has had a bitter childhood. His father passed away when he was very young, after which his mother (Dimple Kapadia) married Prajapati Pandey (Vinod Khanna). Together, they had a son Makhanchan (Arbaaz Khan).

Prajapati favours Makhanchan, which does not go down well with Chulbul. He decides to take control of his destiny and detaches himself from his stepfather and half-brother. His sole attachment is his mother.

However, after his mother's demise and an unsuccessful attempt to mend wounds, Chulbul snaps all ties with his step-father and half-brother.

Rajo (Sonakshi Sinha) enters his world and turns life upside down. Chulbul starts to see life more positively and also gets sensitised to the value of a family. But his detractors, Cheddi Singh (Sonu Sood), have their own vested interests and emerge as spokes in the wheels, putting one brother against the other. Makhanchan ends up carrying out an act oblivious to the consequences.

When Makhanchan realises he has been used, he turns to Chulbul. Will Chulbul take his extended hand? Will the brothers be able to thwart their detractors?

Salman Khan makes maximum use of his body language and mannerisms to great effect that makes him stand tall in the saddle where he tries to cover the defects of the film with his sheer charisma.

Sonakshi Sinha looks beautiful and it's a dream debut for her.

The fight sequences by S. Vijayan are crowd pleasers. Salman's introduction at the start and the fight-to-finish in the climax is a paisa vasool stuff. The ring tone thingy in between the fights where Salman starts dancing while punching is entertaining.

Dabangg follows the same graph as Wanted in terms of its treatment. Unfortunately it fails to follow suit of Wanted in terms of its storytelling with a flat narrative.

Sajid-Wajid’s tunes work pretty well for the film. Sandeep Shirodkar’s background theme track for Salman Khan is catchy.  Pranav V Dhiwar edits the film flawlessly amplifying the action and magnifying the heroism of Salman Khan to good effect. Cinematographer Mahesh Limaye aptly captures the beauty and bleakness of  village.

Other than Salman Khan who shines bright, Sonakshi Sinha looks refreshing and ravishing and shares good chemistry with Salman Khan. Arbaaz Khan is marred by weak characterization and ends up being a secondary cast caricature. Sonu Sood plays the archetypal villain. Malaika Arora fills in as the standard item girl. Everyone else from Om Puri, Anupam Kher, Mahesh Manjrekar, Vinod Khanna to Mahie Gill are wasted.

This is definitely a must-watch for all Salman Khan fans. He looks great, the action is also good and so are some of the dialogues.