Cast: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Jackie Shroff, Arjun Kapoor, Shweta Tiwari, and others

Director: Rohit Shetty

Language: Hindi

Stars: ⭐

***

I’ll start by noting that our system doesn’t allow for zero-star ratings, so I had to reluctantly give Singham Again one star. That said, I’ll kick off with a positive: Arjun Kapoor’s performance truly stood out for me, without a doubt.

Spoiler Alert!

“Singham Again” begins with Bajirao Singham (Ajay Devgn) in Kashmir, but without much setup. His sudden appearance in the valley lacks impact, and after a brief patriotic mention of Kashmir and radicalization, he’s gone as quickly as he came. This attempt to hit an emotional chord with the audience by introducing themes of nationalism feels shallow and forced, failing to create any meaningful resonance. It’s not that the theme itself is unworthy, but rather, it’s a flimsy narrative device here. When it comes to action, the sight of a single man taking down hordes of militants single-handedly feels more like a leap into fantasy than anything realistic or thrilling.

Kareena Kapoor, a capable actor in her own right, appears as Avni but disappointingly serves only as a prop. She does her best with the limited screen time and negligible character arc, yet it’s disheartening to see her role relegated to just another damsel with little to no depth. Her presence feels tokenistic, despite her on-screen charisma.

Jackie Shroff’s villain Omar Hafeez initially seems promising. However, just when he starts to capture interest, the film undercuts his potential, deflating one of the few genuine sources of tension. His character introduces Arjun Kapoor’s “Danger Lanka” (Zuber Hafeez), and though the buildup to this character is enjoyable, it’s ultimately wasted by a scattered plot.

The film’s constant references to the Ramayana feel overused and misplaced. Seeing Avni deliver speeches that seem inspired by Nita Ambani feels forced. Religion and nationalistic undertones are constantly woven into the narrative, pushing too hard for an emotional response, and it ultimately cheapens the storytelling.

The introduction of Shakti Shetty (Deepika Padukone) as Lady Singham is another letdown. She chases down henchmen, but her scenes quickly descend into cliché. She single-handedly outwits goons who’ve been pummeling male officers—certainly a power fantasy, but hardly plausible or innovative.

Then there’s Daya’s famous line “Daya, Darwaza tod!” used randomly in an action sequence, which shifts the tone from serious to absurdly comedic. Satya (Tiger Shroff) gets his flashy entry but suffers from illogical scenes, where he shrugs off bullets and keeps smiling. When Danger Lanka can overpower a squad, it’s baffling that he struggles to capture Avni.

The entry of Sooryavanshi (Akshay Kumar) and Simba (Ranveer Singh) is a bright spot but fails to compensate for the incoherent plot.

Verdict

By the interval, “Singham Again” had lost its way, becoming an unconvincing collage of misplaced patriotism, forced mythology, and absurd action. It had potential, but it’s lost under too many weak layers.