Overview
Singham is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Reliance Entertainment in association with Rohit Shetty Productions. The film stars Ajay Devgn in the title role of Bajirao Singham, an honest police officer, alongside Kajal Aggarwal and Prakash Raj. It is an official Hindi remake of the 2010 Tamil film of the same name directed by Hari and starring Suriya.
Released on 22 July 2011, Singham emerged as a major commercial success and is widely credited with reviving the mass-action genre in Hindi cinema during the 2010s. It became the launching point of Rohit Shetty's Cop Universe, a connected film franchise featuring police officers as protagonists.
Key Facts
| Title | Singham |
|---|---|
| Director | Rohit Shetty |
| Producer | Reliance Entertainment, Rohit Shetty Productions |
| Writers | Yunus Sajawal (screenplay), Farhad–Sajid (dialogues) |
| Based on | Singam (2010, Tamil) by Hari |
| Lead cast | Ajay Devgn, Kajal Aggarwal, Prakash Raj |
| Music | Ajay–Atul (songs), Monty Sharma (background score) |
| Cinematography | Dudley |
| Editor | Steven H. Bernard |
| Language | Hindi |
| Release date | 22 July 2011 |
| Franchise | Singham series; Rohit Shetty's Cop Universe |
Plot
The film follows Bajirao Singham, an upright sub-inspector posted in the small Goan town of Shivgadh. After a transfer to the Maharashtra town of Goa, he comes into direct conflict with Jaikant Shikre, a powerful politician and gangster played by Prakash Raj. The narrative develops as a confrontation between institutional corruption and personal integrity, eventually culminating in Singham mobilising the police force against Shikre.
Cast
- Ajay Devgn as Bajirao Singham
- Kajal Aggarwal as Kavya Bhosle
- Prakash Raj as Jaikant Shikre
- Sonali Kulkarni as Megha Kadam
- Ashok Saraf as Mahesh Jadhav
- Sudhanshu Pandey as ACP Rakesh Kadam
- Govind Namdev as Inspector Kale
Production
Rohit Shetty acquired the Hindi remake rights of the Tamil original, which had been a hit in southern markets. Principal photography was carried out largely in Goa, with several action sequences shot in Hyderabad and Mumbai. The film retained the broad structure of the Tamil version while adapting the setting and character backgrounds for a North Indian audience. Ajay–Atul scored the soundtrack, with the title track becoming widely recognised as the franchise's signature theme.
Music
The soundtrack album was released by T-Series. The composition pair Ajay–Atul created the songs, while Monty Sharma provided the background score. Notable tracks include "Singham" (title track), "Maula", and the romantic number "Saathiya". The score's brass-led theme has been reused across subsequent films in the franchise.
Release and reception
Singham opened to a strong response at the box office and ran successfully across multiplexes and single screens. Critics noted Ajay Devgn's screen presence and Prakash Raj's performance as the antagonist, while the film was also discussed for its stylised action and unapologetic mass appeal. It became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2011.
Sequels and franchise
The film spawned a series and is the foundation of Rohit Shetty's expanding cinematic universe of police characters.
- Singham Returns (2014) – directed by Rohit Shetty, starring Ajay Devgn and Kareena Kapoor Khan.
- Simmba (2018) – starring Ranveer Singh, with Ajay Devgn appearing as Singham, formally connecting the universe.
- Sooryavanshi (2021) – starring Akshay Kumar, with crossover appearances by Devgn and Singh.
- Singham Again (2024) – ensemble continuation of the franchise.
Significance
The film is regarded as a turning point in Ajay Devgn's career as a leading action star in the 2010s and as a milestone in mainstream Hindi cinema's adoption of remake-driven mass entertainers from the South Indian film industries. It also established Rohit Shetty's signature directorial style, combining stunt-heavy action, broad humour, and patriotic-procedural themes around police characters. The Cop Universe that began with Singham has since become one of the most prominent shared franchises in Indian cinema.