Singh Is Kinng is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Anees Bazmee from a screenplay by Bazmee and Suresh Nair. The film stars Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Om Puri, Ranvir Shorey, Neha Dhupia, Javed Jaffrey, Sonu Sood, and Sudhanshu Pandey. In the film, Happy Singh (Kumar) is sent to Australia to reunite Lakhan Singh (Sood), a crime boss, with his ill father but finds himself facing love and trouble instead. The film also featured a song and a music video with American rapper Snoop Dogg.
| Singh Is Kinng | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Anees Bazmee |
| Screenplay by | |
| Story by | Anees Bazmee |
| Produced by | Vipul Amrutlal Shah |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Sanjay F. Gupta Ben Nott |
| Music by | Songs: Pritam RDB Background Score: Salim–Sulaiman |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | |
Release date |
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Running time | 136 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi Punjabi |
| Budget | ₹30 crore |
| Box office | est. ₹136 crore |
A major part of the film was shot in Australia. The film marked the fourth collaboration of Kumar and Kaif after Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006), Namastey London (2007) and Welcome (2007). The spelling of the word "king" in the film's title with an additional letter "n" was based on advice provided by a numerologist.[3][4]
Singh Is Kinng was released on 8 August 2008 with mixed to positive critical reception. It became a huge commercial success, earning ₹136 crore worldwide, thus becoming the third-highest grossing Hindi film of 2008. At the 3rd Asian Film Awards, Singh Is Kinng received 1 nomination – Best Actor (Kumar). Moreover, at the 54th Filmfare Awards, the film won Best Female Playback Singer (Shreya Ghoshal for "Teri Ore"), in addition to a nomination for Best Actor (Kumar).
The film spawned a standalone quasi-sequel Singh Is Bliing (2015) also starring Kumar in the lead role. [5]
Plot
editLakhan “Lucky” Singh, known as the "Kinng," is the kingpin of the Australian underworld, accompanied by his Sikh mafia associates Julie, Mika (Lucky's brother), Pankaj Udaas, Raftaar Mann, Dilbagh Singh and Gurbaksh Singh. In Lucky's birthplace in Punjab, another Sikh named Happy Singh often causes trouble despite his good intentions, leading the villagers to send him on a mission to Australia with his friend Rangeela to bring Lucky back and reunite him with his ill father, hoping to get rid of Happy for a while.
At the airport, their tickets to Australia get swapped with those of Puneet, who was headed to Egypt. Consequently, Happy and Rangeela find themselves in Egypt, where Happy meets Sonia, a lawyer, and falls in love with her, but they part ways without him expressing his feelings. The two then proceed to Australia, where Lucky dismisses Happy's request to return to Punjab and throws him out. Stranded, Happy receives kindness from an elderly lady who offers him food despite being a stranger.
A series of incidents instigated by Happy result in Lucky getting severely injured and paralyzed. Surprisingly, Happy is then made the new Kinng by Lucky’s associates, who misread Lucky’s intention to kill him, much to Lucky’s chagrin. The elderly woman who helped Happy reveals her plight: her daughter is returning from Egypt with a wealthy fiancé, revealed to be Puneet, and she is worried her daughter will discover they are now living in poverty due to her father's death. Happy offers her Lucky's mansion to stay in and has the mafia associates work for her. When the daughter arrives, Happy is shocked to see that she is Sonia. Although Sonia begins to fall for Happy, she is conflicted because of her relationship with Puneet, who grows increasingly suspicious of Happy. Over time, the members of Lucky's gang, inspired by Happy's kindness, begin to reform their lives. Puneet eventually learns Happy's true identity as the Kinng of the underworld and shares this revelation with Sonia. Initially shocked, she is later convinced by her mother, Rangeela, and Lucky’s gang members that Happy wants nothing else but to see others happy and peaceful. Meanwhile, Puneet conspires with Mika, who wants to become Kinng himself, to kill Happy. Their motives differ: Puneet wishes to eliminate Happy to keep Sonia, while Mika wants to seize power.
On the day of Sonia and Puneet's wedding, a confrontation ensues when Happy and his associates crash the event and fight Mika’s goons. During the chaos, Puneet abandons Sonia to save himself, allowing Happy to take his place at the altar and unintentionally marry Sonia. Puneet later seeks forgiveness as his father takes him away. Meanwhile, Mika’s guard tries to kill Lucky, but the trauma causes Lucky's paralysis to be cured. Realizing Mika's betrayal, Lucky is heartbroken.
As the confrontation escalates, Mika, equipped with special glasses and a hearing aid, prepares to shoot Happy, but Lucky intervenes. A tense standoff unfolds, with Happy advising Mika on the qualities of a true Sikh. Lucky confesses that being Kinng was a source of misery for him, as a true Kinng fights for others, not himself. Remorseful, Mika drops his weapon. The film concludes with Happy and Sonia's wedding and the gang members returning to their village, where they find peace and redemption. A final image shows Lucky reflecting, "And that’s how they became real Singh and real Kinng."
Cast
edit- Akshay Kumar as Happy Singh
- Katrina Kaif as Lawyer Sonia Singh, Puneet's fiancée
- Om Puri as Rangeela Mann
- Ranvir Shorey as Puneet Sabarwal, Sonia's fiance
- Jaaved Jaaferi as Mika Singh and Mr. Sabarwal, Puneet's father (Dual Role)
- Neha Dhupia as Julie Gupta
- Sonu Sood as Lakhan "Lucky" Singh / Ungli Baba
- Kirron Kher as Mrs. Singh (Sonia's mother)
- Kamal Chopra as Guruji Gurbaksh Singh
- Sudhanshu Pandey as Raftaar Mann
- Yashpal Sharma as Pankaj Udaas
- Satwant Kaur as Lakhan's mother
- Manoj Pahwa as Dilbagh Singh
- Chayan Sarkar as Man at Airport
- Gurpreet Ghuggi as Manjeet
- Snoop Dogg as himself
- Gleven Roy Abugan as himself
- Tyson Bradly as DJ
- Khyali Saharan as groom
- Sanchita Choudary as Tanya Singh
- Moksha Rana as Little Blind Girl
Music
editThe music of the film was composed by Pritam Chakraborty and the lyrics were written by Mayur Puri. The title song was composed by the British band RDB. The soundtrack was launched officially at the IIFA Awards in Bangkok on 8 June 2008.
Snoop Dogg has a cameo in the video of the title song.[6]
Shreya Ghoshal, who sang the song "Teri Ore," won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer and the IIFA Award for Best Female Playback Singer. Mayur Puri was nominated for the Star Screen Awards, in the "Best Lyrics" category, for the same song. According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, with around 1,800,000 units sold, this film's soundtrack album was the year's third highest-selling.[7]
The song "Bhootni Ke" used in the film is sung by Mika Singh.
| Singh Is Kinng | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 8 June 2008 | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 0:51.94 | |||
| Label | Junglee Music | |||
| Producer | Vipul Shah | |||
| Pritam Chakraborty chronology | ||||
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| RDB chronology | ||||
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Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Singh Is Kinng" | Snoop Dogg, RDB, Akshay Kumar | 04:55 |
| 2. | "Jee Karda" | Suzanne D'Mello, Labh Janjua | 04:51 |
| 3. | "Bas Ek Kinng" | Mika Singh, Neeraj Shridhar, Hard Kaur, Ashish Pandit | 04:41 |
| 4. | "Teri Ore" | Shreya Ghoshal, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan | 05:40 |
| 5. | "Bhootni Ke" | Daler Mehndi | 05:08 |
| 6. | "Talli Hua" | Labh Janjua, Neeraj Shridhar | 04:50 |
| 7. | "Bas Ek Kinng" (Tiger Style Mix) | Mika Singh, Neeraj Shridhar, Hard Kaur, Ashish Pandit | 04:04 |
| 8. | "Bhootni Ke" (Tiger Style Mix) | Mika Singh | 04:46 |
| 9. | "Talli Hua" (Jay Dabhi Mix) | Labh Janjua, Neeraj Shridhar, Stylebhai | 04:33 |
| 10. | "Jee Karda" (Remix) | Suzanne D'Mello, Labh Janjua | 04:52 |
| 11. | "Teri Ore" (Lounge Remix) | Shreya Ghoshal, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan | 06:09 |
| 12. | "Bhootni Ke" (Remix) | Daler Mehndi | 03:54 |
| Total length: | 58:23 | ||
Reception
editCritical response
editTaran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, and stated "Singh Is Kinng lives up to the hype and hoopla. At the box-office, the film will fetch a hurricane-like start and will be record-shattering. Notwithstanding the new oppositions in the weeks to come, it will rule the hearts of the aam junta. Blockbuster Hit!"[8] Times of India gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, and stated "The film has an entertaining first half. The second half does get cluttered, clumsy and loose with loads of wasted talent in the likes of Ranvir Shorey, Javed Jaffrey and a side-lined Om Puri."[9] Shruti Basin of Planet Bollywood gave the film 3.5 stars out of 5, and stated "Singh is Kinng is a great watch. Enjoy the happy atmosphere while cheering on the new King of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar."[10] Gaurav Malani of Economic Times stated, "This king doesn't quite rule your heart unconditionally."[11] Rajeev Masand gave the film 2 out of 5 stars, and stated "Singh is Kinng celebrates the spirit of being a Sikh, and yet it completely disregards the most basic detail of Sikh identity – how can your Sikh characters sport turbans but not full beards?"[12] Aseem Chhabra of Rediff.com gave the film 2.5 stars out of 5, and stated "Akshay is the Kinng".[13] Lisa Tsering of Hollywood Reporter stated, "Singh Is Kinng is a rollicking late-night party you don't want to end - with a friendly, funny and generous host; gorgeous women; pumped-up bhangra music and an extravagant, booze-soaked scuffle or two."[14] Indicine gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, and stated, "Singh is King is a typical Akshay Kumar mindless entertainer which has a great first half, beautifully picturised songs and a gorgeous Katrina Kaif. But what makes it more worthwhile is Akshay Kumar, who holds the movie together, well supported by Om Puri."[15] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express stated, "Whatever else it notches up, 'Singh Is Kinng' will always and forever be known as the first Hindi film in Punjabi : everyone talks as if sarson da saag is coming out of their mouths."[16]
Amodini of Friday Nirvana gave the film 0 out of 5 stars, and stated that it was a "dumbed-down masala".[17] Janak of Cinema Online Malaysia gave the film 5 out of 5 stars, and stated "Singh Is Kinng is a fantastic five-star movie with wonderful casts and beautiful songs. You may find all the elements of Hindi cinema in this film, from action to comedy, and drama to romance. This is a movie not to be missed, especially if you are a Punjabi and a Bollywood fan. I'm still buzzing from the soundtrack!"[18] Wietske Uneken of Cinemagazine gave the film 3 stars out of 5 and stated, "Thanks to its humorous approach, 'Singh is Kinng' is an entertaining film."[19] Sri of Frames N Pages stated, "The film lacks logic, but still a great entertainer."[20] R. Paul Dhillon of Georgia Straight stated, "The filmmakers seem interested only in manipulating the audience, with absolutely no regard for plot, characters, or believability."[21] Molodezhnaja gave the film 2.5 stars out of 5.[22] Rachel Saltz of New York Times stated, "“Singh Is Kinng” isn’t a great movie. But the immensely likable Akshay Kumar shines as a Capraesque hero who spreads bedrock Indian values."[23] Sonia Chopra of Sify gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, and stated "And there it is: yet another critic-proof film that the audience has pre-decided to like, such that you imagine them displaying the relevant finger to those who disagree."[24]
Sikh controversy
editSome members of the Sikh community had expressed their dissatisfaction over the portrayal of Sikhs in the movie. On 1 August 2008, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) wrote a letter to Sheila Dikshit, the then Chief Minister of Delhi, asking her to ban the movie, as the trailer showed Akshay Kumar's character sporting a trimmed beard. According to their religious guidelines, male Sikhs should not trim their beards, and the DSGMC found this offensive. After negotiations with the DSGMC authorities, the film was given clearance on 7 August 2008.[25]
Awards and nominations
edit| Award | Category | Recipients and Nominees | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian Film Awards | Best Actor | Akshay Kumar | Nominated |
| Producers Guild Film Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Nominated | |
| Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Nominated | |
| Best Female Playback Singer | Shreya Ghoshal for "Teri Ore" | Won | |
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | Best Actress | Katrina Kaif | Nominated |
| Best Female Playback Singer | Shreya Ghoshal for "Teri Ore" | Won | |
| Screen Awards | Best Actor (Popular Choice) | Akshay Kumar | Won |
References
edit- ^ a b Leydon, Joe (13 August 2008). "Singh Is Kinng". Variety. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ Mookerji, Madhumita (6 September 2008). "'Making a film is important, but making it successful is more so'". DNA India. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ "Blockbuster: Numerology is a superhit in Bollywood". IBNLive. 6 August 2008. Archived from the original on 28 September 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
- ^ Diksha Kamra (8 October 2010). "Numerology dominates B-town". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
- ^ "Singh is Bling not a sequel to Singh is Kinng". singhisbling (unofficial). Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
- ^ Perry, Byron (1 August 2008). "Snoop Dogg's Bollywood cameo". Variety. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
- ^ "Music Hits 2000–2009 (Figures in Units)". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 24 June 2010.
- ^ Hungama, Bollywood (8 August 2008). "Singh Is Kinng Review 4/5 | Singh Is Kinng Movie Review | Singh Is Kinng 2008 Public Review | Film Review". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Singh is Kinng Movie Review {3/5}: Critic Review of Singh is Kinng by Times of India", The Times of India, retrieved 1 July 2021
- ^ "Singh is Kinng - movie review by Shruti Basin - Planet Bollywood". planetbollywood.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ Malani, Gaurav. "Movie Review: Singh is Kinng". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Singh Is Kinng review « Rajeev Masand – movies that matter : from bollywood, hollywood and everywhere else". Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Review: Singh is Kinng". www.rediff.com. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ Tsering,AP, Lisa; Tsering, Lisa; AP (12 August 2008). "Film Review: Singh Is Kinng". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Singh Is King Review : Singh is Kinng Movie Review". 8 August 2008. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Singh Is Kinng - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ amodini (9 August 2008). "Review : Singh is kinng | Amodini's Movie Reviews". Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "SINGH IS KINNG | Movie Release, Showtimes & Trailer | Cinema Online". www.cinema.com.my. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Singh is Kinng (2008) recensie". cinemagazine.nl. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ Sri (27 November 2009). "Frames N Pages: Movie Review: Singh is Kinng". Frames N Pages. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Singh Is Kinng". The Georgia Straight. 13 August 2008. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Singh Is Kinng (Indien, 2008)". www.molodezhnaja.ch. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ Saltz, Rachel (15 August 2008). "An Action Comedy With a Little Song and Dance". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Review 2: Singh is Kinng". Sify. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "'Singh is Kinng' gets clean chit from Delhi Gurdwara panel". Hindustan Times. IANS. 7 August 2008. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018 – via HighBeam Research.