| Rating | |
| Cast | Shah Rukh Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Taapsee, Boman Irani, Vikram Kochhar, Anil Grover, and others |
| Director | Rajkumar Hirani |
| Producer | Gauri Khan, Rajkumar Hirani Banner - Red Chillies Entertainment, Jio Studios & Rajkumar Hirani Films |
| Music | Pritam, Aman Pant |
| Verdict | Hirani misses his charm. SRK could have been better. |
What this movie is about?
Set in the rural milieu of Laltu, Punjab in 1995, four friends Manu (Taapsee Pannu), Bali (Anil Grover), Buggu (Vikram Kochhar), and Sukhi (Vicky Kaushal) aspire to go to London for their own reasons. They are joined by former soldier Hardy (Shah Rukh Khan) who falls in love with Mannu and vows to help them. After failing to go the legal route, they decide to go the illegal way i.e. Dunki way, a dangerous immigration route. What are the struggles they face and How do their lives take a turn in the process? Will they be successful in their attempt? When they want to return what problems do they face? The film answers these questions.
Performances
Shah Rukh Khan as Hardy carries a charm but it would not live up to his mark. He shines in his role and does well in emotional scenes. But, at times he became monotonous.The courtroom scene in London stands out. He tries his best to pull the film on his shoulders, but the underwriting doesn’t let him do it.
The movie is basically slow. The writing is typical and predictable.
Taapsee fits the bill aptly. The love story between Hardy and Mannu is not convincing and it is just for the sake having romance. Even the story of Sukhi (Vicky Kaushal) is a bit forced and disconnected. Boman Irani’s role is not impressive enough and felt unnecessary. The movie is basically slow. The writing is typical and predictable.
Technicalities
Rajkumar Hirani has magic in his films. But not in this movie. He knows how to weave a strong human story and narrate it effectively using entertainment and drama. Dunki lacks these in the right portions. It follows the formulaic style of Hirani without depth. Visuals are eye-pleasing, but visuals alone would not make audience like the film unless there is substance in the story. The songs are highly disappointing.
Thumbs Up
- Some Emotional Scenes
Thumbs Down
- SRK and his monotonous expressions
- Misses Rajkumar Hirani’s Magic
- Predictable Narration and Weak Songs
- Lack of depth in writing
- Unconvincing Message
