Usually it’s often easier to be cynical than to be sincere, and not many directors can pull off the latter nearly as well as filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, an old-fashioned storyteller who loves to make his viewers laugh and cry at the same time. Hirani might easily pass for the pleasant neighbour who lives in your building the one who smiles warmly and offers to help you carry the groceries. Above all, he is the brilliant creator of best-selling ideologies like Gandhigiri, All Izz Well, and Jadoo Ki Jhappi, which relentlessly search for some good in a gloomy world through quirky heroes motivated by curiosity and a desire to fix broken mindsets.
Meanwhile it’s the foundation of all his features, be it Munnabhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munnabhai, 3 Idiots, PK and, now, Dunki where the lead protagonist Hardayal Singh Dhillon a.k.a Hardy played by Shah Rukh Khan says, “Sab changa hai (All is well).” With Dunki, he tackles the subject of immigration. Based on the dangerous donkey route, a popular but illegal immigration technique is used to enter countries like the United States, UK, and Canada.
Dunki is part comedy, part drama, Dunki takes us on a journey of four localities from a village in punjab with Taapsee Pannu, vikram Kocchar, Anil Grover, and vicky kaushal (in a special appearance) who harbour a shared aspiration to settle in England. The problem for them is to get a visa. When a soldier gets off a train one day, it sets off a chain reaction that changes their lives forever. He assures them that he will lead them to the place of their dreams. What follows is a hilarious and inspiring story about a perilous journey through seas and deserts, but more importantly, through the depths of their imaginations. The journey tests their will and questions their decision to move out of india for a better life.
What keeps Dunki afloat is Shah Rukh Khan. After watching him turn into an action hero with Pathaan and Jawan, it’s refreshing to see him do something that allows him to flex his acting muscles. SRK brings a rare vulnerability, honesty, and earnest dignity to his character. His innocence and charm win us over with sheer heart and it is this heart that counts in a Hirani movie. This is one of the most significant films of his career.
Taapsee Pannu is suitably spirited and full of beans. She delivers a solid performance, matching Shah Rukh in every scene. vicky kaushal, in his limited screen time, is top-notch. vikram Kocchar, Anil Grover, and boman irani bring their A-game and they deserve applause for presenting an impressive act.
Hirani is known to keep things simple. This benefits and in certain ways impacts the film as well. When the film works, it does with great merit, spunk, and surprise. When it does not, it meanders into a trap that is hard to come out of. But in a time when action entertainers and spy films are very much in vogue, Dunki breaks the monotony and comes as a gush of fresh air. It is heartwarming, cheering, and uplifting reminds you, ‘Sab changa hai.’
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