Dabangg - Bangg, Shebangg and RayBangg

Saw the new Salman Khan starrer "Dabangg" recently. I was drawn to see this potboiler for various reasons. I have never seen the most Chunky of the senior Khan trio in a moustached role. The title Dabangg seemed goofy enough to expect something different. A recent review by Sudish Kamat of his previous movie - Wanted proclaimed that Salman Khan was the only remaining 'full blooded male Hero" (or some words to that effect or atleast that is what I thought he meant!!). The point is that I agree with him - he has a swagger that is exaggerated (the same way Rajnikant's 'Style' was exaggerated in Sivaji).

The role of Chulbul Pandey - The Dabangg - offered all that and yes...Rayban. The popular glasses plays a very important role in the movie. It even appears in the titles as part of each word. There is a scene when the hero, the villian and almost all the henchmen who can fit into the frame wear Raybans. The meaning of Dabangg and its connotations were explained very clearly in chaste hindi and bhojpuri in the first song of the movie - these include bold, courageous, outrageous, boisterous, stoneageous, egregious and many more ouses. Based on these explananations, I have decided to exclaim 'Dabangg" instead of an unprintable expletive whenever I encounter a vagrant traffic-mate or people who run across my car without the fear of death. It is a true popcorn movie - even if your popcorn has been exhausted towards the end in the 'Dabanggish' fight, the hero pops out of his attire that had the entire theater popping their mouths out. You have to see to believe it.

One other reason I was keen on seeing the movie was to see if Abhinav Kashyap shared any creative genes with his brother Anurag Kashyap. I cannot conclude in the affirmative - I doubt if they even shared a pair of jeans. Though two entities from Anurag Kashyap's Dev-D make an appearance in this movie - "Emotional Atyachaar" and Mahie Gill. And spare a thought for Arbaaz Khan, the producer, Salman's brother off and on screen. He is the antonym of the Dabangg in his role in the movie and he gets beaten up by everyone in the movie and on top of it, his real life wife - Malaika Arora "Badnaam hui Darling Uske Liye". Hope he gets his money's worth.