As trite as the plot of Simmba might appear at first glance, this Ranveer Singh-starrer isn’t half as bad as it might have ended up being. Even though there isn’t anything particularly original that is on display here, Simmba is watchable for the most part. At Film Comments we examine why you might want to check it out in the Simmba film review.
Rohit Shetty who is known for Golmaal and Singham has again come up with a masala entertainer. Yes, that is not everyone’s cup of tea but so be it. There is a cop who isn’t overly inclined to perform his duties, a girl across the cop station who he is enamored with, and a villain who is out to get his business done at all costs. I am sure you know what’s coming up after that, don’t you?
Now, while Simmba might not bag a prize for the most original story, it does have some spunky acting and sends a loud and clear message on ways to deal with the perpetrators of crimes against women. There are sides you can take in Simmba, and while not all of you will agree with what is shown, from the standpoint of a wholesome entertainer, Simmba doesn’t perform poorly.
Ranveer Singh as the self-centered and corrupt cop Simmba is right on the money. His nemesis in Sonu Sood is effective with his baddie act. And while Sara Ali Khan, in only her second film, might not yet have the acting to command your attention, she does manage not to look too messy. The supporting cast that includes an understated performance by Ashutosh Rana as Simmba’s assistant won’t go unnoticed.
There are moments in Simmba where you get a déjà vu. Yes, you have seen movies with a similar storyline that are probably better than this one. That said, the director deserves credit for admirably straddling the precarious line between sounding overly preachy and being too vacuous to make any impact.
Inevitably, the first half will have you giggling for the most part. Only nearing the intermission, when the tone of the film changes that the director faces a tricky proposition. At this point, although the tonal shift in the narrative isn’t the most convincing, I think most would agree that it could have been much worse. Preceding the break, that also happens to be the turning point of the story, is a scene so awkwardly setup that it is going to make you feel a tad cheated. It almost comes off as being entirely phony.
While this might not go down well with some viewers, others will be able to absorb it better. In turn, that will decide in a big way, whether you come away from this film dissatisfied or entertained.
Although cars are not flying in the air here that is such a trademark of Rohit Shetty’s films, there is quite a bit of action to keep you invested. Watch out for an engaging scene at the cop station towards the finale.
If watching typical Bollywood masala fare isn’t your way of spending an evening, this movie might not work for you, and you’d be better off giving it a miss. For the rest, Simmba is thoroughly watchable.
(3 / 5)
What do you think?