Who can forget the hilarious mixed-up speech by Omi Vaidya's Chatur in the opening scenes of 'Three Idiots' or the unforgettable scooter ride of Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor as they rush to save a man? These lively moments are the heart and soul of celebrated director Rajkumar Hirani's movies, which also include the Bollywood cult 'Munnabhai MBBS' featuring Sanjay Dutt.
Refreshing humour and diverse themes are a trope in Hirani's movies, exploring human emotions and pain with a sheen. His latest film, 'Dunki,' headlined by Shah Rukh Khan, also gives a glimpse of the other side of life. While 'Three Idiots' calls out the flawed education system, 'Dunki' sheds light on the challenges faced by unauthorized immigrants in their journey to a foreign country. The title of the film is derived from Punjabi, loosely meaning 'hoping from one place to another' or more, the 'donkey route,' symbolizing the struggles to cross borders illegally.
Manu (Taapsee Pannu), Buggu (Vikram Kochhar), and Balli (Anil Grover) are three friends desperate to flee Punjab to make money by reaching the United Kingdom. Hardy (Harwinder Dhillon) arrives in their hometown Laltu to return a tape recorder that belonged to Manu's brother. Hardy, knowledgeable in combat skills, stays to teach Manu wrestling, as she has to masquerade as a member of a wrestling squad to go to the UK. However, the friends are deceived by their agent, leading them to attempt the 'donkey route' for illegal entry.
Before the film's release, some fans drew parallels to Dulquer Salmaan's film 'CIA' for similar themes. However, in 'Dunki,' the filmmakers attempt to show the bigger picture, including the challenges the friends face after reaching their destination. Yet, 'Dunki' falters at times; some scenes feel artificial and struggle to impact the audience. While the intention is good, the message feels misguided. Are unauthorised immigrants born out of desperation and poverty fair to question the norms of a country setting rules to prevent mass immigration?
The humour, especially in the first half, doesn't disappoint, with dialogues purely based on situations. Though not as funny as his previous works, the filmmaker attempts to retain that flavour for the audience. "If the sewing machine stops, so does the meals," says Buggu's (Vikram Kochhar) mom when he asks her to stop sewing, wanting to sip his tea peacefully for five minutes.
The performances of Shah Rukh Khan's co-stars - Taapsee Pannu, Boman Irani, Vicky Kaushal, Vikram Kochhar, and Anil Grover - are the highlight of the movie. Shah Rukh Khan, who made a spectacular comeback with his blockbuster films 'Pathaan' and 'Jawaan,' is quite hilarious in the movie, although he sometimes fails to exude the same warmth and charm seen in his other movies.
