Far from Dabangg

n By Farina Salim Quraishi

The now familiar beat reaches a crescendo, camera capture becomes slow-mo, ground shakes, things shatter only to pause mid-action! All a cue for Chulbul Pandey to walk in with his smolder and swagger in place, ready to soak in the mandatory applause and ear piercing whistles of his delirious fans. And Pandeyji sure does not disappoint. Delivering a ‘dabangg’ of an introductory sequence, Salman Khan roars out of the shadows, breaking the ceiling, kicking men into air before striking his signature pose and sends scores of his faithfuls in raptures of unadulterated 24-carat joy.
Though it’s been more than nine years since Salman Khan burst on the screen (and right into audiences’ hearts) as the larger-than-life rouge cop, the time is just a number as nation’s favourite Bhaijaan has lost none of his chulbul chutzpa and infectious charm. With only a few lines and telltale leanness to tell the characters apart, Pandeyji remains just as endearingly cheeky and volcanically angry as he was all those years ago.
Going back in time, Dabangg 3 is a sort of an origin story that tries to answers questions of the first two installments, namely how Chulbul Pandey become the Dabangg Daroga. His pehla pehla pyaar with Khushi (Saiee Manjrekar), when he was just ‘Dhaakad Singh’ and not so chulbul, forms the crux of the third installment.
A full-on Salman Khan movie, Dabangg 3 doesn’t even attempt to be anything else and wears its commercial badge like one of honour .Taking over the director’s reins from Arbaaz Khan, Prabhudeva knows his brief (glorify Salman in Bollywood style!) and sticks to it wholeheartedly. The props, the story, the plot, the rest of the cast and even periphery players are all there with one single purpose: To make Salman look like the superstar he already is.
Prabhudeva has an entertaining template at hand and plays safe, to the point of being boring! Self-confessedly presenting Salman as his fans want him, Prabhudeva bends over backwards to play to the ‘Salman Khan’ gallery. So, high octane action sequences, the much-loved fiery dialogues, laugh-out-loud funny scenes, a colourful romance and a dozen songs with a ’n’ numbers of dancers all are stuffed in over-generous proportions.
“Kya wohi wohi karte ho….!”, screams Chulbul at one point in Dabangg 3 and we say, ‘Yes please, why!!’ Nine years, three movies and 400 minutes of screen time is enough time to recycle and reuse the box-office tested troupes and tricks and they definitely come across as abused this time. Other than fans (Bhaijaan can do no wrong as per them), it will be tiresome to watch the same old histrionics, again and again and yet again with little variation.
Even with a strangely ageless looking Salman Khan giving it all, it’s a task to sit through the 152 minute drama that is slowed by a good 1\2 an hour by the numerous ultra slo-mo shots!
All the things which made Dabangg a smash hit have been reworked and used over and over again to mine laughs, but to diminishing returns. The blatantly inappropriate humour gets rowdier and lewd as the movie progresses and reaches abysmal zenith on more occasion than one. The ribald jokes (if one can call them) think nothing of making body sensitive remarks, gender inappropriation and double entendres. Put in a handful of below the belts jokes and the torture is well and truly complete!
The story by Salman Khan is pedestrian, painfully predictable and annoyingly juvenile. Good lucky trying to make sense of the gaping craters in the screenplay. The story just works to give Chulbul a chance to either deliver sermons about societal evils, crack jokes, dance like a diva or go on a rampage like Rambo; with point and plausibility conveniently going for a toss. The over-long drama is further made unbearable by the innumerable songs that just crop up anytime and play to their full painful lengths. With only colour of protagonists’ costumes to set them apart, the sheer number of songs make the movie a very long watch.
It is only the powerful performances that save Dabangg 3 from being a total downer. Southern addition, Kichcha Sudeep, who plays Chulbul’s arch nemesis, Bali Singh is simply amazing. His quiet evilness is very unnerving and he is a worthy opponent, standing as tall as the Thanedar himself! Salman playing his parallel existence on the big screen is in his element. Supremely comfortable in the uniform, Salman makes Chulbul a little more naughtier, lot more loveable and whole lot handsome, the third time round. Recurring players, Arbaaz Khan and Sonakshi Sinha play their old roles with effectiveness, but little variation. Debutant actress Saiee is a pretty face, but has a long way to go before she can make her mark as a serious actress.
So all you Bhai fans go scream your hearts out and enjoy as Chulbull Pandey is decked up in his best and armed with swag for the swagat of his fans. But don’t fret if you find the treat formulaic and far from Dabangg!
The Hitavada Rating: O O

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