Review: Dabangg 2 by TOI 4/5 *Star.

DABANGG 2 Has Blockbuster Written All Over It Pluses: Salman Khan at his best, couple of songs, Prakash Raj is good as usual, Kareena Kapoor steals the show in those 5 minutes Minuses: Poor screenplay, action lacks punch, direction remains average Critic Rating: 4/5 Business Rating: 4.5/5 Verdict: Watch it for Salman Khan and sheer entertainment value Detail Analysis: First thing first, this is not a film for purist. This is not an entertainer which offers something new or showcases any outstanding stuff. This is simply a film which is all about one man - not He-Man or Super-Man but Salman. Film has very thin storyline and only shifts Chulbul Pandey from Lalganj to Bajaria Thana of Kanpur. And the worst part is that it lacks any touch of Kanpur as things look artificial throughout. Writing purely dependent on 1st installment and screenplay trembles throughout with lack of imagination and fear of failure. Except couple of funny sequences, everything has been entrusted to Salman. In terms of performances, Salman Khan delivers his one of the best entertainer acts and saves the film from being mediocre. He makes you laugh and keeps the adrenalin running for the length of the movie. His dialogues are good but his style lifts the scene. Film is strictly a showcase of his talent. Though you can't help feeling bad for him as he is weighed down by poor content and writing at places. Sonakshi Sinha as always fills the scenes like flower pot in the background of a painting. She is completely out of sort and sleepwalks. Only God can help her and her acting. Prakash Raj fits the bill for larger than life baddie but the problem is that helooks alien to the settings of Kanpur, a corrupt politician. Nevertheless he has some hilarious as well as intense shots with Salman. Deepak Dobariyal is good so is Nikeet Dheer but not as good as Sonu Sood whom he apes more than once. Mahie Gill and Vinod Khanna are average. Kareena Kapoor is show stealer in"Fevicol" and looks super hot. Malaika Arora Khan has guest dance appearance in "Paandey Ji Seeti Maare" which is adorable. Action sequences are average and again looks repetitive so are the songs. But "Fevicol Se" and"Paandey Ji" work due to great picturisation. Music of Sajid - Wajid looks pale in comparison to the original especially in theaters. Writing is pathetic to say the least and there is no effort to make things interesting. Debutant director Arbaaz Khan does a decent job but to be honest he gets in the copy cat mode. It seems that he is afraid of trying anything new and lifts songs and action from trusted sources. He virtually remains in sequel mode throughout. He should have taken reference from "Krrish" or "Dhoom 2" where sequels were one notch higher and offered something new too. Overall don't go with mammoth expectations and simply enjoy one of the biggest superstars in festival mood. It is a Salman Khanentertainer and it does entertain well. Smaller centers and loyal fanbase of star might feel bad as film is not very long but then good things do come in small packages. Only one thought in the end - Salman is ruling the boxoffice with his charisma but better films with better directors can deliver something memorable not just money making ventures. Go for this one only for Salman Dabangg 2.