I just came back from my evening show of "Dunki," and I must concede, there were better expectations on my end for a 'Hirani' directorial. Let us not waste any time and discuss it in detail.
Starting with...
Positives:
Emotional Connect: Rajkumar Hirani may have lost his old charm; he may be struggling to put forth the same magic his movies used to have, but he still knows how to make his audiences emotionally invested in his stories. There were a handful of instances where I felt genuine empathy for the characters; my eyes got moist because of their circumstances, and I started caring for them.
Underlying Messaging: The people who are interpreting (or misinterpreting) the story to be an endorsement of illegal immigration should reevaluate their thoughts as the narrative suggests the exact opposite. The writing not only showcases the horrifying consequences one may have to face because of such misadventures but also the harsh realities of many who go to foreign countries looking to settle down, seeking better lives for themselves and their loved ones. Many dreams remain unfulfilled; not everything that glitters is gold!
Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal: Two undeniable standouts in the show. They both have done commendable work in their solo projects before, yes, but to collaborate with two of the biggest names in the industry (Rajkumar Hirani and Shahrukh Khan) speaks of their determination and hunger for prominent roles.
Now moving on to...
Negatives:
Lack of detailing: As this is based on 'Donkey' routes, i.e., the illegal ways of transporting immigrants, I anticipated scenes that would clearly delineate the procedures and lay out the plans in great detail, but Hirani did not do that; he chose to keep it rather simple, possibly to reach a wider audience base. I understand his intentions but couldn't advocate for them.
Middling third act: The first half is great, actually I had the most fun in there, but as the story progresses, the magic seems to fade out, the movie loses its charm and rhythm post-intermission, and the organic flow of trademark Raju Hirani literature was nowhere to be found. Suffice to say, I was surprised.
Lastly, it's time for...
Mixed:
Lackluster Comedy: Some scenes made me chuckle; a couple of them made me laugh out loud (that platform scene with SRK was hilarious, and it was a clever product placement as well), but most of the gags and one-liners did not work in the way I wanted them to; most of them fell absolutely flat.
Shahrukh Khan: What I'm about to say now will infuriate a bunch of people, I know, but as somebody who had admired SRK in many of his earlier movies, I feel I need to speak out the truth, which is that he struggles here-quite a lot, actually. He's at his charming best when he needs to indulge in lighthearted moments, but whenever the focus shifts to emotional scenes, where he has to convey his rawest feelings and let himself be completely vulnerable, he tends to suffer drastically, and it showed (for example, the courtroom scene in front of the judge).
In summation, "Dunki" is a decent family entertainer that does enough to hold your attention but not quite enough to produce a lingering impression! Far off from Hirani excellence.
Starting with...
Positives:
Emotional Connect: Rajkumar Hirani may have lost his old charm; he may be struggling to put forth the same magic his movies used to have, but he still knows how to make his audiences emotionally invested in his stories. There were a handful of instances where I felt genuine empathy for the characters; my eyes got moist because of their circumstances, and I started caring for them.
Underlying Messaging: The people who are interpreting (or misinterpreting) the story to be an endorsement of illegal immigration should reevaluate their thoughts as the narrative suggests the exact opposite. The writing not only showcases the horrifying consequences one may have to face because of such misadventures but also the harsh realities of many who go to foreign countries looking to settle down, seeking better lives for themselves and their loved ones. Many dreams remain unfulfilled; not everything that glitters is gold!
Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal: Two undeniable standouts in the show. They both have done commendable work in their solo projects before, yes, but to collaborate with two of the biggest names in the industry (Rajkumar Hirani and Shahrukh Khan) speaks of their determination and hunger for prominent roles.
Now moving on to...
Negatives:
Lack of detailing: As this is based on 'Donkey' routes, i.e., the illegal ways of transporting immigrants, I anticipated scenes that would clearly delineate the procedures and lay out the plans in great detail, but Hirani did not do that; he chose to keep it rather simple, possibly to reach a wider audience base. I understand his intentions but couldn't advocate for them.
Middling third act: The first half is great, actually I had the most fun in there, but as the story progresses, the magic seems to fade out, the movie loses its charm and rhythm post-intermission, and the organic flow of trademark Raju Hirani literature was nowhere to be found. Suffice to say, I was surprised.
Lastly, it's time for...
Mixed:
Lackluster Comedy: Some scenes made me chuckle; a couple of them made me laugh out loud (that platform scene with SRK was hilarious, and it was a clever product placement as well), but most of the gags and one-liners did not work in the way I wanted them to; most of them fell absolutely flat.
Shahrukh Khan: What I'm about to say now will infuriate a bunch of people, I know, but as somebody who had admired SRK in many of his earlier movies, I feel I need to speak out the truth, which is that he struggles here-quite a lot, actually. He's at his charming best when he needs to indulge in lighthearted moments, but whenever the focus shifts to emotional scenes, where he has to convey his rawest feelings and let himself be completely vulnerable, he tends to suffer drastically, and it showed (for example, the courtroom scene in front of the judge).
In summation, "Dunki" is a decent family entertainer that does enough to hold your attention but not quite enough to produce a lingering impression! Far off from Hirani excellence.