These days it seems Akshay Kumar can do just about anything. He is proving to be an actor capable of rising above the script in any film he does and if Singh is Kinng is watchable at all, it is only due to him. Else, the film would fall flat on its face. As it is, in spite of Akshay's energetic act, Singh is Kinng is nothing to write home about. In fact, it is quite a mediocre film hampered by an extremely weak, predictable and unimaginative screenplay.

Now one knows not to look for logic or realism or a sensible plot in a film of this type, which is a mixture of Don and Lady For A Day, the latter itself remade twice by Hrishikesh Mukherjee as Mem Didi (1961) and Achha Bura (1983). Singh is Kinng depends on its items and gags. But then the scenes should work for the film. Unlike Bazmee's earlier No Entry (2005), the problem here is that most of the gags are stale, the items pedestrian thus making the film quite trite and tiresome. On top of that the film is loud, infantile, stereotypical, unsubtle and highly crass in its treatment. Even when the script does throw up interesting situations, rare as they are, the scenes fall flat. In fact, the film is shockingly short of entertainment value and yes, even unfunny.

No care has gone into the writing. Perhaps the makers knew they already had bumper profits on the table itself on announcement of the film. And while money has been spent to give the film a lavish look, it could have done with at least a skeleton of a script. The script, if one can call it that, lacks wit and humour and even the dialogue is nowhere as sparkling as it should have been. There is just the odd one-liner that works and there are but a handful of gags that stand out. The sequence where Akshay is made 'kinng' for one or where Sonu Sood is pushed around on the wheelchair work well. Again, while one is not going on logic, one fails to see how Javed Jaffrey's twist or his being cast in a second character as Ranvir's father adds anything to the film. There are other gaping holes in the film. The transformation of the gangsters  due to Akshay's simplicity and kindness is most unconvincing and the less said of tackling of the emotional scenes with the hotdog stand man or the blind girl the better. 

The cast tries to do what it can with the limited material. Akshay Kumar single handedly carries the film on his shoulders. With each successful film, Akshay has just got better and better and more rounded as a performer. He gamely rises above the hackneyed scenes be it slapstick like chasing a hen around the village and causing mayhem in the process or in the emotional love story track as he smiles through his hurt as Katrina gets ready to marry Ranvir Shorey. However, he is starting to look his age now and needs to reinvent himself in a subtler, more mature avatar. Katrina really doesn't have much to do in the film but one can sense a growing confidence in her even if she still has a looong way to go an actress. Of course, it helps that she is an absolutely stunning looker. It is disappointing to see Om Puri reduced to being the hero's sidekick but he more than makes it up with his performance. His comic timing is spot on and he appears to be enjoying himself on screen. Sonu Sood is adequate while Javed Jaffrey, Yashpal Sharma, Kirron Kher, Kamal Chopra and Manoj Pahwa are all effiecient enough without being spectacular. Neha Dhupia is a pleasant surprise but Ranvir Shorey appears a misfit and looks miscast in the film.

Technically, the film is so-so and no more. The camerawork is largely frontal as if the camera is just a recording device for the action going on and nothing more. Salim-Sulaiman compose their usual over the top background score while Pritam's music barring the catchy refrain Singh is Kinng is also largely uninspired with no tune staying in your head after the film even if the songs are blasting everywhere. The songs suffer from bad placement and their picturizations too are ordinary to say the least. Locations, be it the village in Punjab or Egypt or Australia, are not explored well at all.

All in all, the film fails to live up to its hype and if it wasn't for Akshay Kumar, it would be unwatchable. Sadly however, today in Bollywood it's all about creating hype and savvy marketing and it is certain that Singh is Kinng is likely to garner a tremendous opening to see it through, regardless of its quality.

Singh is Kinng is easily the most awaited film of the year so far. The film has everything going for it - Writer-Director Anees Bazmee's follow up to the extremely successful No Entry (2005) and Welcome (2007), Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah with the success of Namastey Londin (2007) behind him, a top notch technical crew, besides the lead pair of Namastey London, the stunningly beautiful Katrina Kaif AND Akshay Kumar, easily the most successful Bollywood actor at the box-office in recent times.

The film, a riotous blend of comedy and action, is easily Bazmee's most ambitious and extravagantly mounted film to date. A successful writer before he bacame a director, Bazmee is regarded as the 'kinng of comedy' in Bollywood post No Entry and Welcome. Here in Singh is Kinng, half of Bazmee's battle is won with the choice of story itself. A naive Punjabi changing the lives of the people he meets across the world with his inert goodness cannot go wrong. Honestly what would Hindi cinema do without Punjab???

Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah has seen to it that no expense has been spared on the film. Besides the A-grade star cast, the film boasts of a highly skilled foreign technical crew as well with Cinematographer Ben Nott (Daybreakers (2008), See No Evil (2006)), Production Designer Stewart Burnside, Art Diretcor Adam Head and Stunt Coordinator Danny Baldwin among others.

And then of course there's Akshay Kumar in the central role of Happy Singh. Akshay's journey from his days of struggle in Bangkok while learning martial arts to becoming Bollywood's hottest star today is the sort of stuff dreams are made of. Akshay has proved that no role is beyond him and with the confidence each success has given him, he often rises above every film he does as he did with his previous release Tashan (2008). The role of Happy Singh appears tailor-made for Akshay. Happy is a brave, compassionate and noble person. But he is also gullible and accident-prone. In Singh is Kinng, Akshay has full scope to display not only his comic talents but his famed action prowess as well.

Katrina Kaif and Akshay have incredible on-screen chemistry as all their previous films, Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006), Namastey London and Welcome have shown. They seem to undertsand each other perfectly and make an extremely good-looking couple. Their success looks all set to continue in Singh is Kinng as they romance each other across Egypt and Aussie Land!

The music of the film has already caught on and is being blasted everyhwere. In particular, the title song is extremely catchy with the refrain 'Singh is Kinng' being hummed all over. And the icing on the cake is of course Snoop Dogg doing the bhangra with Akshay Kumar!

All in all, the film releasing on 8th August looks all set to become the blockbuster of the year.