But critical consensus rarely matters at the box office. Simmba was a released in the Christmas corridor. It collected over ₹240 crore (approx. $34 million) in India and ₹400 crore worldwide. It became Ranveer Singh’s highest-grosser at the time and solidified his status as a bankable mass hero. Legacy: The Cop Universe Expands Simmba is more important for what it set up than what it actually is. It served as the official bridge between Singham (2011) and Sooryavanshi (2021). The film proved that audiences were hungry for a shared cinematic universe in Hindi cinema, something Bollywood had failed to achieve before.
Directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, Simmba is a remake of the 2015 Telugu blockbuster Temper . However, true to Shetty’s brand, the film is less a frame-by-frame remake and more a "Shetty-fied" adaptation—drenched in primary colors, screeching tires, and a hero who flies through the air without a wire (or so it seems). The story follows Sangram "Simmba" Bhalerao (Ranveer Singh), a orphan-turned-cop who enters the police force not with a desire for justice, but for the "perks." As he proudly declares, he wants a life of "chai, biryani, and hafta vasooli" (bribe collection). Posted in the crime-infested city of Mirampur (a fictional suburb near Goa), Simmba happily sides with the local crime lord, Gurunath Reddy (Sonu Sood), taking bribes to turn a blind eye to illegal activities.
In the pantheon of modern Bollywood masala entertainers, few films have managed to strike the perfect balance between over-the-top action, unabashed comedy, and social messaging quite like Simmba . Released on December 28, 2018, the film was a Diwali gift delayed to Christmas, but it turned out to be a roaring blockbuster that not only revived the career of its lead actor but also expanded the most successful cinematic universe in contemporary Hindi cinema—the Rohit Shetty Cop Universe . Simmba
The second half of the film becomes a classic cat-and-mouse game, culminating in a brutal climax where Simmba throws away his badge and takes the law into his own hands—publicly beating and hanging the villain. This is where the film’s social messaging (the #MeToo and justice-for-women narrative) collides spectacularly with Rohit Shetty’s signature "enter nahi, dhamaka" philosophy. If Simmba works, it is almost entirely because of Ranveer Singh . The actor, known for his chameleon-like transformations, plays Simmba as a manic, loud-mouthed, Marathi mulga with a heart of gold buried under layers of greed. Singh’s performance is a masterclass in controlled chaos. He shifts from laugh-out-loud funny (the "Aala re Aala Simmba" entry sequence is iconic) to seething, silent rage with astonishing ease.
If you walk into Simmba expecting realism or nuanced storytelling, you will be disappointed. But if you want to see a superstar at the peak of his powers, delivering punchlines with a wink, cars defying gravity, and a hero who breaks the fourth wall to remind you that "Mumbai police ki tariff karna mana hai" —then Simmba is your perfect guilty pleasure. But critical consensus rarely matters at the box office
★★★☆☆ (3/5) – A high-octane, flawed, yet wildly entertaining masala film that runs on Ranveer Singh’s infectious energy and Rohit Shetty’s unapologetic love for the illogical. Aala re aala!
While Singham was the serious, righteous father figure, Simmba is the naughty, flawed, but ultimately loyal nephew. The character of Simmba would go on to make a cameo in Sooryavanshi , and the upcoming Singham Again promises a full-fledged Avengers-style team-up. Is Simmba a great film? No. It is loud, illogical, and tonally uneven. Is it an entertaining film? Absolutely. $34 million) in India and ₹400 crore worldwide
His life of comfortable corruption is shattered when he meets (Sara Ali Khan), a spirited medical student who falls for his fake bravado. The film’s tonal shift arrives like a sledgehammer. When Shagun’s friend is brutally raped and murdered by Gurunath’s brother, Simmba is forced to confront the moral abyss he has slipped into. The incident awakens the latent conscience within him, transforming the crooked cop into a fiery vigilante.
His chemistry with the script is far better than with his leading lady. Sara Ali Khan, in her second film, looks pretty and performs adequately, but she is reduced to a stereotypical "dulhania" who exists to motivate the hero’s revenge.