Sardaar Gabbar Singh

Synopsis: This film surely is about a lot of guts (such lazy direction, anyone?), guns (even in songs!) and love (Pawan Kalyan has adorably dedicated this film to his fans).

Movie Review: Be it intentionally or otherwise, Telugu filmmakers have been feeding us the same old stories we have seen multiple times. But despite repeatedly being treated to the familiar storylines, the audience generally doesn’t complain because they seem to have agreed on one unarguable point – that a good filmmaker can revamp the story a number of times and can yet present an entertaining offering each time. In that sense, Sardaar Gabbar Singh would probably make the cut because the story though predictable, has got the quality to produce a likable film. Sadly, when predictability is paired with lazy filmmaking, the result is a disappointing view like Sardaar Gabbar Singh.

Here’s a look into what the film is about. Princess Arshi (Kajal Aggarwal) is living a difficult life, desperately trying to save her ‘samsthanam’ from crumbling while trying to be of service to her praja. Her land is plagued by the power hungry Bhairon Singh (Sharad Kelkar) who lusts for her despite him being married to Gayatri (Sanjjanna). But there’s a ‘magaadu’, as Arshi calls him, Gabbar Singh… Sardaar Gabbar Singh (Pawan Kalyan) who is going to make her life easier and happier.

If sloppy screenplay is a problem, lacklustre editing is the major pitfall for this action drama. One wonders if the editor just gave up after a while and decided that his effort would be of no use anyway! A sea of unnecessary sequences are stitched together to make this work but each time, you are just left sighing in disbelief at the silliness of jokes and wasted screen time.

To lay it on the line, the film is a one man show where there’s a display of Pawan Kalyan and his histrionics; his trademark style statements – the karate style fights, the hand+neck mannerisms, the rendition of a folk song along with a dance and charismatic wielding of guns – all make an appearance here. Most of the character artistes are wasted with nothing much to do other than hang around the hero as he is in action. But Sharad Kelkar makes an impactful debut.

The film’s saving grace would be the star power of Pawan Kalyan, the gorgeous Kajal and the crackling chemistry they share. Their love story makes you wish that they pair up again just to be part of a full-fledged romance. Another praiseworthy element in the film is the background score by Devi Sri Prasad who makes the dullest of episodes come to life. But in terms of the music otherwise, it feels like he has hit a roadblock and is giving us some of his own tunes again albeit in a rehashed form.

Gabbar Singh had marked the comeback of Pawan Kalyan after a long dull haul of nearly a decade and it is ironic how its sequel is the complete opposite and sees the actor in one of his most unimpressive appearances ever.

The main aim behind this film is simple – to give the Telugu audience their own flavour in a western film. Does that happen? It doesn’t really matter because this film surely is about a lot of guts (such lazy direction, anyone?), guns (even in songs!) and love (Pawan Kalyan has adorably dedicated this film to his fans) but the soul is lost in a constant attempt to impress fans. An effort of two and a half years (that’s how long it took to write the story) is reduced to a huge disappointment.