However, critic Rajeev Masand criticized her ornamental role and wrote that Sinha "seems to exist in this film only to have her midriff repeatedly pinched by Akshay Kumar."[16] Her next film, Shirish Kunder's Joker, also opposite Akshay Kumar, proved to be a trade disaster at the box office and received overwhelmingly negative reviews.[17][18]
Her third film, Ashwni Dhir's Son of Sardaropposite Ajay Devgan was poorly received by the critics but proved to be an economic success. Critic Saibal Chatterjee from NDTVnoted that Sinha "endeavours to be pretty and dainty amid all the madness."[19] Arbaaz Khan's Dabangg 2, the sequel to her immensely successful debut garnered little praise from critics, though proved to be a major financial success.[20][21][22][23] Sinha also dubbed for the voice of Tooth in the Hindi version of Rise of the Guardians.[24]
Sinha's first film of 2013 was Vikramaditya Motwane's period romance-drama Looteraopposite Ranveer Singh. Despite receiving a lukewarm response at the box office,[25] it and Sinha gathered praise,[26] with Sinha's portrayal of Pakhi, a Bengali girl who is dying of tuberculosis, receiving universal acclaim from critics. Sarita Tanwar notes that "the star of the film is undoubtedly Sonakshi Sinha [who gives] a mature and refined performance. She lives the character body and soul."[27] Raja Sen agrees, saying that "Sonakshi Sinha plays Pakhi beautifully, creating a character who is immaculately wide-eyed and possesses casual, yet unmistakable, grace. It is a performance that starts off dreamily soft and turns harder, and she does well-etched dialogue justice like few actresses can. There's a discernible vulnerability to Pakhi throughout the film, and Sinha brings out this fragility perfectly without ever overplaying it."[28]
Sinha appeared in Milan Luthria's crimeromance film Once Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara!, the sequel to Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, in which she was paired withAkshay Kumar again, as well as Imran Khan.[29] The movie was a commercial disappointment and critic Mohar Basu labeled her "a chatterbox replete with idioticity which the director frames as naiveness."[30] She then appeared in Tigmanshu Dhulia's Bullett Rajaopposite Saif Ali Khan, a box-office flop. Her final release of the year was Prabhu Deva'sR... Rajkumar opposite Shahid Kapoor. A moderate commercial success, the film and her performance received negative reviews.Taran Adarsh labeled her "repetitive" and noted that she needed to "reinvent herself."[
Her third film, Ashwni Dhir's Son of Sardaropposite Ajay Devgan was poorly received by the critics but proved to be an economic success. Critic Saibal Chatterjee from NDTVnoted that Sinha "endeavours to be pretty and dainty amid all the madness."[19] Arbaaz Khan's Dabangg 2, the sequel to her immensely successful debut garnered little praise from critics, though proved to be a major financial success.[20][21][22][23] Sinha also dubbed for the voice of Tooth in the Hindi version of Rise of the Guardians.[24]
Sinha's first film of 2013 was Vikramaditya Motwane's period romance-drama Looteraopposite Ranveer Singh. Despite receiving a lukewarm response at the box office,[25] it and Sinha gathered praise,[26] with Sinha's portrayal of Pakhi, a Bengali girl who is dying of tuberculosis, receiving universal acclaim from critics. Sarita Tanwar notes that "the star of the film is undoubtedly Sonakshi Sinha [who gives] a mature and refined performance. She lives the character body and soul."[27] Raja Sen agrees, saying that "Sonakshi Sinha plays Pakhi beautifully, creating a character who is immaculately wide-eyed and possesses casual, yet unmistakable, grace. It is a performance that starts off dreamily soft and turns harder, and she does well-etched dialogue justice like few actresses can. There's a discernible vulnerability to Pakhi throughout the film, and Sinha brings out this fragility perfectly without ever overplaying it."[28]
Sinha appeared in Milan Luthria's crimeromance film Once Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara!, the sequel to Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, in which she was paired withAkshay Kumar again, as well as Imran Khan.[29] The movie was a commercial disappointment and critic Mohar Basu labeled her "a chatterbox replete with idioticity which the director frames as naiveness."[30] She then appeared in Tigmanshu Dhulia's Bullett Rajaopposite Saif Ali Khan, a box-office flop. Her final release of the year was Prabhu Deva'sR... Rajkumar opposite Shahid Kapoor. A moderate commercial success, the film and her performance received negative reviews.Taran Adarsh labeled her "repetitive" and noted that she needed to "reinvent herself."[
