Just like its predecessor -- Salman Khan’s Dabangg -- Ajay Devgn’s cop caper, Singham, turned out to be a runaway success at the box office last year. But at a time when we hear about sequels like Dabangg 2, Race 2, Housefull 2, Jism 2, Jannat 2, Dhoom 3, Krrish 3, Raaz 3, and Murder 3, we have yet to hear of any plans about "Singham 2."
“Singham roared at the box office and once again consolidated Ajay Devgn as a formidable frontrunner in Bollywood. It re-branded his action brand and emerged one subject that deserves a sequel,” says Bollywood celebrity publicist Dale Bhagwagar. Even more, Mr. Bhagwagar has a story pitch that he wants to suggest to the film’s affluent director, Rohit Shetty.
“The film ended with the protagonist, Bajirao Singham, and the battery of cops kidnapping and killing the villain, Jaykant Shikre, at a local Police Station in Goa. Though it was done in all cinematic righteousness, it was still a cold-blooded murder by the men in khakhi,” he suggested. “Now just imagine if the courts got a whiff of that and put most of the Goan Police Force, including its Commissioner of Police, behind bars for conspiracy and murder! What a volatile situation that would be for a sequel to begin.
“Even the thought of the entire Police Force of Goa in prison with the full criminal community inside sends shudders and makes for a rocking concept for an explosive sequel.” As Bollywood fans await official word of whether Singham 2 would ever be a reality, connoisseurs of Hindi cinema will be treated to a pair of sequels in the Spring, with Housefull 2 opening on April 5th and Jannat 2 expectedly releasing four weeks later on May 4th.
Raaz 3 is planned to open August 31st, while Race 2 is scheduled for a November 30th release; 2012 will conclude with respective openings of Jism 2 (December 12th), and Dabangg 2 (December 21st). In other Bollywood news … Raj Kapoor is the Flavor of the Month in Sydney!
Leading Australian publication The Sydney Morning Herald has featured the English version of Bollywood showman Raj Kapoor’s 1956 classic, Jagte Raho, among the “Top 10 Films” playing in Sydney, Australia this month. The publication has listed Stay Awake (the 115-minute English version of Jagte Raho) as the second-best film playing in Sydney.
Stay Awake has the legendary actor showing his gift for pantomime as a tramp who wanders into a Kolkata apartment complex in search of water and becomes the target of a neighborhood witch-hunt. Directed by the team of Sombhu and Amit Mitra, this brilliantly developed comic nightmare works on several levels, from slapstick to religious allegory.
Other movies in the Top Ten list include Citizen Kane, The Hit, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Trip, Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace 3D, The Grey, Shallow Grave, Chronicle, and the recently released and critically acclaimed black and white silent film, The Artist.
“Brand Raj Kapoor has been one of the biggest and strongest in Bollywood ever. It must be a proud moment for the 50,000-odd Sydneysiders to see a Raj Kapoor movie with full-on critical acclaim after more than 55 years of its release in India,” points out Mr. Bhagwagar. “Over the years, Sydney has also proved to be an important destination for the Indian film industry, with more than 230 films having been set in, or featured the city.” Many movies, including Singh Is Kinng, Chak De! India, Bachna Ae Haseeno, and Heyy Babyy have been filmed in Sydney, Mr. Bhagwagar added.
