Singham Again – When Noise Overtakes Narrative, and Hype Becomes the Whole Film

Singham Part Three, Singham Again, released today inside theatres, and the way expectations were built after watching the trailer, the picture has been made exactly in that mold. This time, Rohit Shetty does not merely promise a return to his cop universe – he declares it, brands it, and stamps it across every frame like an emblem of cinematic bravado. Yet that bravado is both its biggest selling point and its biggest undoing. Before you go to watch this film on the big screen, it’s important to know what your expectations should be, and more importantly, what you will actually get to see. I’ll clearly tell you everything so there’s no disappointment.

Because all of this, every roaring car, every slow-motion entry, every bombastic monologue, every god-tinged image – rests on one single man. His name is Rohit Shetty – the film’s director and the architect of the entire cop universe. For the first time, at least to my memory, we get to see the official logo of this universe in a more ceremonial, ritualistic way. If it existed earlier, I do not remember, because honestly, I don’t take such branding that seriously, and you shouldn’t either. If you know Rohit Shetty or have watched his films, then you already know why I say this – his cinema demands spectacle-first, logic-later. I do not need to explain the reason to anyone already familiar with his work.

The Cop Universe Attempts to Go Grand Mythology

Singham Part One, Singham Returns (or Singham Part Two), Simmba, and Sooryavanshi – all directed by Rohit Shetty – combined to form the cinematic universe. And just like he made those older films, Singham Again is the same – only pushed two or three times further, which is not necessarily a good thing. In the new installment, we see the story of the Singham family. Bajirao Singham – the righteous lionhearted police officer – now has his wife Avni, a son who is completely useless, and an ever-expanding circle of police officers whom he considers family. Mr. Singham is posted in Kashmir, and there an attack happens on him.

Who does it? Tiger Shroff’s character – previously shown in Sooryavanshi as a dangerous mastermind – personally arrives on a two-wheeler bike. Why am I even telling you this? Because this sets your expectations better than all of the posters combined. Jackie Shroff does similar adventure on a bike – racing from the valleys of Kashmir through the streets, even though he has dozens of men who could do this work for him. But no, he must personally carry out the mission. And just like his character, you also shouldn’t use too much brain. It isn’t advice – it’s a warning – for your own good.

After being caught, he tells Singham: “Watch out, someone will come, very dangerous, very scary, from whom you won’t be able to escape.” He doesn’t say it in these exact words, but this is the clear intended meaning. They were hyping up the movie’s villain, played by Arjun Kapoor – a fascinating choice given his real-world reputation. Rohit Shetty leans into this casting, trying to turn ridicule into shock value. We’ll come to him later, but first, let’s talk about the film’s core narrative.

A Familiar Plot, Borrowed From Mythology and Advertised by Trailer

Avni gets kidnapped – she is abducted and taken to Sri Lanka by the villain. So from here, five major figures from India’s police force travel across the sea, launch an explosive assault, and then what happens in the climax – I don’t need to tell you, because everything was shown in the trailer. You already know it. And if you haven’t watched the trailer, you can guess easily – the story is somewhat inspired by the Ramayana. The rough narrative skeleton remains the same. They simply shuffle some events around the middle and stretch it into a full-length cinematic experience.

Using specific symbolic moments parallel to gods whom people revere creates hype automatically. And this is where Singham Again becomes an event rather than a film. The picture is 2 hours 20 minutes long, in which Rohit Shetty tries to hit the major beats of the Ramayana while also giving Ajay Devgn, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, Tiger Shroff, Ranveer Singh, and Akshay Kumar – each of them – an entry sequence, an entry moment, and an action showcase every single time. So after some time, you begin to understand what I am saying – the entire film ends within these repeated patterns: entrance – loud music – slow motion – fireworks – and no room left for storytelling.

Popcorn Masala Cinema Has Its Place – But Here, the Masala Burns

At the start I was actually enjoying it. I had already set my expectations. I told my mind: “Brother, look, you know what’s coming. Be prepared.” There is nothing wrong with that. Popcorn masala films have their place. If a film promises grand spectacle, then it is the audience’s fault if they expected deep drama or emotional literature. But slowly I realized the entire picture runs only on hype. Where there isn’t thunderous music underscoring a hero entry, there is excessive dialogues – sharp, echoing, intentionally meme-able lines designed to trend online.

There is one scene I found unintentionally hilarious – meant to be dead serious. Singham is being held by a gang of goons, the villain stands towering in front of him, delivering the movie’s now-famous line:
“We ask Gandhi ji, but we follow Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.” Could’ve been a great moment for many, but my attention drifted to Kareena Kapoor standing slightly to the side. The staging, her gesture, the awkward blocking – I couldn’t control my laughter. Brother… the hero is being restrained, and she is literally beside him doing a dramatic gesture like she is in a different film entirely, see in the image.

After a point, the excessive dialogues becomes unbearable. “We get it, move on.” Kareena Kapoor’s character then turns, says a line to the villain, turns back to Singham, and continues – another line. It becomes a theatrical ping-pong match. When a film tries to shout every thought into your ear, you eventually want it to shut up and just play.

The Climax – Beyond Over-the-Top, Straight Into Unrestrained Absurdity

When they move forward and the climax arrives – oh my god. They say Shetty’s cinema goes “over the top,” but here the top does not exist. I am not saying they show something extremely unrealistic like pulling a helicopter by hand, but the transition in tone is so abrupt that realism itself appears to jump off the building. Often I have said this – instead of having a strong villain, create one who forces your superhero-level heroes to think, strategize, and still struggle. In the beginning, that is exactly what they show – a villain powerful enough to scare them all. But suddenly when the climax action begins, the villain turns Completely flat. All bark, no bite.

Arjun Kapoor: A Villain With Good Build-Up, But a Character Suffocated by Excess

And now to the film’s villain – Arjun Kapoor. When his first poster look came out, I was stunned:
“Dude… what is this? Will people start taking him seriously now? Is this a turning point?”
And honestly, among all the big names I listed, each with their cinematic entry, his was one of the best. The build-up, the music, the camera framing, the twisted smile – it works. His arrival feels like a defining moment. You feel: okay, now the real movie begins.

But again, the same issue that destroys everything else – they overdo it. That wicked grin – once, twice, three times, four times – they keep repeating it. “Okay, I get it. You are cool. Enough.”
But they still make him do it four more times.

And I am only talking about his appearance. When the character speaks, it is not terrible – not as meme-worthy as the internet mocked (“entire Bollywood gathered to fight Arjun Kapoor”). But it isn’t extraordinary either. The contrast becomes visible in the climax – such a weak villain. What did he do? Nothing meaningful. They gathered an entire Avengers-like police squad to fight him, and then he gets swallowed by cinematic bombast. Rohit Shetty deserves praise for bringing so many stars together, yes. But as characters, most of them are just extended cameos, and Arjun Kapoor is ultimately not given the teeth to justify the hype.

Ranveer Singh: The Only Breath of Oxygen in a Stadium Filled With Smoke

Talking about roles and performances – among all of them, Ranveer Singh as Simmba is easily the best. Even more than Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, or Tiger Shroff. In their own film, he overshadowed them all. Because as I said earlier, the picture runs only on hype – and Ranveer Singh’s character is the only breathing room. He gives you an actual chance to laugh. Whenever he is on screen, he becomes the best part of the entire experience. He understands what Rohit Shetty cinema is supposed to feel like – a cartoonish roller coaster – and he behaves accordingly. Not melodramatic, not pseudo-intense, not mythological – just loud, ridiculous, self-aware fun.

The Shetty Template – Cars, Helicopters, Explosions, Repeat

Expect that this is a Rohit Shetty film – not unique or innovative, but skilled at hype. They show Tiger Shroff’s abs, they give Akshay Kumar a cool action sequence (with slightly questionable CGI), and the rest is the usual menu – cars flipping, cars hanging and shooting, helicopters flying, hiding and shooting, flames exploding out of nowhere, and a general overuse of everything that moves or burns. Cinematography too goes one step further into excess. Backlighting is used like a religion – characters constantly glowing, halos everywhere.

There is a particularly silly scene – Deepika Padukone and Ajay Devgn in a police station. Every single shot has sunlight blasting from some window. “Dude, pick where the sun actually is. How can there be four windows blasting sunlight from all sides?” My mistake – I used my brain for a few seconds. Apology.

When the Hype Machine Eats Its Own Tail

The rough calculation is very simple: If you know Rohit Shetty and enjoy his movies, you will enjoy this too. The same over-the-top elements you previously enjoyed without thinking – you know exactly how to process them here. If you’re someone who likes references to gods, slow-motion footage every two minutes, epic music, epic dialogues – then you’ll enjoy this too.

It’s not as bad as Cirkus, but not as good as Simmba or the original Singham. If you want to go with your family, eat snacks, and switch your brain off, this is an option.

Just don’t get up and leave after the end, because there is a mid-credit scene. They even confirmed which actor is coming. And after watching it, I felt: “My God, what a waste.” Just like the whole picture – don’t take expectations there either. I advise you now – it looks like they just made him speak two lines in front of a green screen: “Yes, I’m coming.” That’s it.

If the climax had been more powerful, I might have enjoyed it more. But overall, I think Singham Again is decent – fine – yet fundamentally hollow.

Rating: 2.5/5