Singham Again review: In the tale of Ajay Devgn, Arjun Kapoor stands out!

In this review, @moviesandcharacters aka Devesh Hasija, shares his views on Rohit Shetty’s magnum opus Singham Again!

Have you ever had a friend who just loves partying? Whether it’s 4 in the morning or 5 in the morning, they will never stop, even when you’re sleepy and just want to go home. This friend will insist that you enjoy the party while all you can think about is escaping the noise. Watching Rohit Shetty's Singham Again felt exactly like that! The film bombards us with cameos, hoping to keep us on the edge of our seats and make us forget about the paper-thin plot. Yet, just like that overzealous friend, each cameo only exhausts you, making you wish the movie would end so you can finally go home. Additionally, the flaws in the film are so noticeable because the story of Ramayana is so familiar.

The Ramayana is not just an epic tale of good versus evil, but it is more than just that as it inspires people to take the right actions in life, learning from the mistakes and triumphs of different characters. So, it is not only a story of war but also a narrative that shows what kind of person one should be and the character one should develop. Given that Singham 3 is inspired by this epic, it doesn’t care about character development as a movie at all! None of the cameos are given enough screen time to justify why a certain character is portrayed as an XYZ character from the Ramayana. Tiger Shroff is introduced as Lakshman, but after a certain point, he is no longer by Singham's side, who is supposedly inspired by Lord Ram’s character. Deepika Padukone makes an appearance, but her role lacks inspiration from any character in the Ramayana. 

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Though this isn't the only flaw of the movie, along with no exploration into the characters the film also lacks in maintaining consistency in telling a coherent story. I am still wondering what Deepika Padukone was doing in the film! Her character aka Shakti Shetty had a very strong arc to begin with; she could have had a redemption story. However, she is only limited to three scenes in the movie! At one point, when Kareena Kapoor Khan’s character Avni is getting kidnapped, we are told Shakti is somewhere around to save her, yet Avni gets kidnapped, and as she escapes, we are introduced to Shroff's Satya, who saves her the first time only to lose her again with no Padukone's Shakti to be found anywhere!

Apart from all this what disappointed me the most was that Singham Again which was largely supposed to be Singham's film reduced its own protagonist Bajirao Singham’s to a diminish- more as a poster figure than anything else! The Singham we know is not just a righteous leader but a powerhouse of charisma. In this film, however, he was reduced to simply being "rightful," without the charm and intensity that made lines like “Aata Mazhi Satakli” so iconic, completely missing. That magnetic, bold personality—half of what made Singham such a compelling character—was lost, leaving a version of him that felt hollow and lacked the spark that fans love.

The quirks were left for Ranveer Singh aka Simmba who after a point didn’t move the story forward but was just there as a comic relief while Akshay Kumar’s cameo could have been impactful if we hadn’t seen the five minutes long trailer earlier! Then in an odd but truly impactful way, one of the standout elements of the film was Arjun Kapoor’s portrayal of Ravana, a role he approached with dedication. However, his character suffered due to inconsistent storytelling. He was introduced as an undefeatable mammoth—a villain seemingly impossible to kill. Yet, this buildup didn’t matter because he was quickly defeated within minutes of the climax.

Singham 3 had all the elements for a powerful retelling of the Ramayana: a compelling storyline opportunity, an exceptional star cast, and the promise of high-energy action. However, the film’s excessive jingoism overshadowed the narrative, causing it to lose focus on the story itself. Films like Singham Again and Fighter aim to replicate the success of Pathaan which became a blockbuster in 2023 not due to jingoism but because it marked the return of Shah Rukh Khan, whose star power and fan anticipation were enough to drive its success. But what need not be forgotten here is that storytelling in cinema doesn’t follow the same “trend-chasing” formula that works for social media algorithms. Unlike Instagram, where quick trends drive engagement, films need a well-crafted narrative to truly resonate with audiences which is a complete miss in this film.

As Singham Again ended, I felt the same way you do after partying with an overly enthusiastic friend: exhausted because the feeling of excitement has been superseded by exceptional fatigue after spending two and a half hours with this film! 

Singham Again is currently running in theatres near you! 

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