BBC Review 1bj6o
An audacious crowd pleaser full of masala hits.
Jaspreet Pandohar 2013
The mere hint of a new Salman Khan film release is enough to send Bollywood fans into frenzies.
Having scored four consecutive blockbusters – Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger – India's most bankable actor/producer has come to be associated with full-on entertainment and smash-hit songs.
Khan's cheeky turn as the Robin Hood-style cop in Dabangg (translation: Fearless) and the charismatic energy with which he performed its musical numbers made the film a runaway success in 2010.
Its sequel, Dabangg 2, sees the hit formula repeated with Khan bringing Sajid-Wajid back to create a follow-up soundtrack as gigantic and audacious as its predecessor.
The epitome of a Bollywood musical, the Ali brothers ensure Dabangg 2 is a crowd pleaser made to appeal to the Indian masses preferring their film music full of masala.
Those who enjoy romantic ballads will be swept away with Dagabaaz Re, which shares its theme and tone with Dabangg's Tere Mast Mast Do Nain. Rendered by the incomparable Rahet Fateh Ali Khan and pitch-perfect Shreya Ghoshal, its gentle praise of the heroine's betraying eyes is endearing.
Item number fans will love Fevicol Se, a raunchy, folksy number focused on Bollywood queen Kareena Kapoor, and designed to stir up flirtations on the dancefloor. Mamta Sharma's earthy tone is well suited to this style of song and is complemented by vocals from Wajid.
The duo turn up again, alongside Ghoshal, in PandeyJee Seeti, a boisterous track aimed at those who love to whistle and dance in the aisles.
The tempo drops temporarily in Saanson Ne, a soothing love song expressing the married contentment of the lead couple, only to pick up again in Debangg Reloaded, a reboot of the original theme, Hud Hud Dabangg.
It’s followed by thumping remixes of Dagabaaz Re, Fevicol Se and Dabangg Reloaded by the mysteriously named FriedBrainMusic.com, offering greater value for money.
As bold and brash as its original, Dabangg 2's mammoth sound secures both Khan and Sajid-Wajid's place as premier hit makers in modern Bollywood history.
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