Jio Studios, Red Chillies Entertainment and Rajkumar Hirani Films’ Dunki (UA) is a story about illegal immigration.
Manu Randhawa (Taapsee Pannu), Buggu Lakhanpal (Vikram Kochhar) and Balli Kakkad (Anil Grover) live in Laltu town of Punjab. All the three friends want to earn a lot of money for which they are keen to go to London, earn tons of money there and then return to India. However, they are unable to get visas as they have neither bank balances nor assets and they aren’t even well qualified. Hardayal Singh Dhillon alias Hardy (Shah Rukh Khan) comes to Laltu one day. He is an ex-army officer. Although he has come for only a day, he stays back with them. The four of them try to get visas for London but when they fail, they adopt the illegal way. Their resolve to anyhow go to London is strengthened once they lose a friend, Sukhi (Vicky Kaushal), who wanted a visa for London just so that he could go there and fetch his girlfriend who is stuck in a bad marriage. Hardy has another solid reason too to go to London. He is in love with Manu. What happens once they reach London? Is their stay there smooth? Do they earn tons of money? Do they return to India? When? Do Hardy and Manu marry and live happily ever after?
Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani and Kanika Dhillon have written a story which is fresh as one has not seen a Hindi film with a similar storyline. What’s more, the story has a nice message too. The trio’s screenplay is excellent in parts but is also found lacking in other parts. The first half has plenty of light moments which keep the audience in good spirits. The post-interval portion becomes less engrossing and also a bit too lengthy. In the pre-interval part, the drama dips in the scenes in which the friends learn English under the tutorship of Geetu Gulati (Boman Irani). However, the scenes in which Hardy, Manu, Buggu and Balli give their English tests are hilarious. The scene of Sukhi’s English test is heart-wrenching. Other plus points are the scenes showing Hardy’s love and respect for India, the yearning of Manu, Buggu and Balli to return to their motherland, the scene of Balli’s breakdown when Hardy confronts him in England, etc. However, the love story of Hardy and Manu is not very well written because of which the viewers don’t really get emotional in scenes when they separate and again when they meet. In other words, the love story does not make the audience root for the lovers to be together — and that’s a big minus point. Another minus point is that the audience does not feel the same emotions as Manu at the time of the revelation of Hardy’s status (when they return to India) simply because they (audience) was never misled to believe what Manu felt about Hardy’s status. Therefore, the burst of emotions which the viewers should have experienced doesn’t happen in the climax. Dialogues (by the trio) are superb. The light dialogues offer entertainment while the weighty ones touch the heart.
Shah Rukh Khan shines as Hardayal Singh Dhillon alias Hardy. He delivers a first-rate performance and does the fullest justice to his role. As the old Hardy, he looks outstanding. Taapsee Pannu is wonderful in the role of Manu Randhawa. She gets into the skin of her character and lives the role. Vikram Kochhar is too good as Buggu Lakhanpal. Anil Grover is very nice as Balli Kakkad. Vicky Kaushal is simply remarkable as Sukhi. There are at least three scenes in which he steals people’s hearts. Boman Irani is good as Geetu Gulati but is unable to create a lasting impression. Deven Bhojani is endearing as advocate Puru Patel. Komal Sachdeva, Diwanshu Gambhir and Vishnu Kaushal (as Chameli, Pumpi and Gulab respectively) lend fine support. Sapna Sand stands her own as Buggu’s mother. Mahavir Bhullar (as Buggu’s father), Jyoti Subhash (as Buggu’s grandmother), Jatinder Kaur (as Balli’s mother), Amardeep Jha (as Manu’s mother), Manoj Kant (as Manu’s father), Rohitashv Gour (as Guarantee Visa agent), Gurpreet Ghuggi (in special appearance as the man who dashes against Hardy on the railway platform), Nikhil Ratnaparkhi (as the sly thief on the railway platform), Ranjha Vikram Singh (in a special appearance as the buyer of Balli’s store), Arun Bali (as Manu’s old father, in special appearance), Atilla Arpa (as Buggu’s cafe manager), Suhail Zargar (as Manu’s brother, Mahinder Randhawa), Aliraza Namdar (as Balli’s IELTS examiner), Richard Klein (as Sukhi’s IELTS examiner), Jacqueline Fernandes (as Buggu’s IELTS examiner), Hella Stichlmair (as Manu’s IELTS examiner), Ajay Kumar (as Hardy’s IELTS examiner), Jitender Hooda (as the Indian Dunki agent), Ranjan Saw (as the boatman), Mushari Alatawi (as the Iran agent), Salem Kali (as the Iran Border officer), Mohannad Abo Almajd and Fawzi Suliman (both as Iran Border soldiers), Palmer Johnny and Asein Uwaifo (both as UK Dunki agents), Daniel Short (as the junkie groom), Jay Miller (as the priest), Jeremy Wheeler (as the British court judge), Shahid Latief (as Bakir), Vivek Sharma (as the Dunki agent), and the others provide adequate support.
Rajkumar Hirani’s direction is sensitive and extremely mature. He has made a heartfelt film with a nice message. Pritam’s music comprises nice songs. Lutput is very racy. Nikle thhey kabhi hum ghar se, Mahi, Banda, Watna ve and the others are all soulful numbers. Except for the first-named song, the other songs may not be very popular but they will grow in popularity in the weeks to come. Lyrics (Javed Akhtar (Nikle thhey kabhi hum ghar se), Swanand Kirkire (Lutput), Amitabh Bhattacharya (Main tera rasta dekhoonga), Varun Grover (Chal we watna), Irshad Kamil (Mahi) and Kumaar (Banda)) are weighty and entertaining. Ganesh Acharya’s choreography is functional. Aman Pant’s background music is wonderful. Muraleedharan C.K., Manush Nandan and Amit Roy have done a swell job of the cinematography. Sham Kaushal’s action and stunt scenes are well taken. Production designing (by Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray) is of a high standard. Rajkumar Hirani’s editing is sharp.
On the whole, Dunki is a hit fare. It will have a reasonably long run at the cinemas as business in the weekends after the initial week or two will be very good on the strength of family and class audience.
Released on 21-12-’23 at Inox (15 shows; in daily 12 shows from 22-12-’23) and other cinemas of Bombay thru PEN Marudhar Cine Entertainment. Publicity: very good. Opening: good. …….Also released all over. Opening was good everywhere.
