Dunki

A soldier, Hardayal Singh Dhillon (Shah Rukh Khan) takes on an arduous and audacious mission, of helping a group of friends realise their dream of going to England. It seems like an impossible task because neither do they have a visa or nor can they can afford a ticket. And It is the start of a journey that promises to change all their lives forever.

Review: When an ailing Manu (Taapsee Pannu) wants to return to India, she realises Hardayal Singh Dhillon aka Hardy is the only one who can help her come back to the country she left years back in search of better prospects.

Twenty-five years ago, Hardy arrived in Laltu, a remote village in Punjab in search of someone who had saved his life. Instead, he encountered a group of friends, Manu (Taapsee Pannu), Buggu (Vikram Kochchar) and Balli (Anil Grover), whose sole mission was to make it to the UK, in search of a better life. The committed three try everything to secure an immigration visa – from learning wrestling to fake marriages and degrees, falling prey to scams along the way. Finally, they decide to learn English in the hope of securing a student visa. It is here that they meet Sukhi (Vicky Kaushal), who is desperate to make it to London for his own reasons. “Birmingham here I come” becomes their motto. But despite all their efforts when the visa is denied to them, things go very awry. Heartbroken by the turn of events, Hardy takes it upon himself to make a passage for his new-found friends to reach the foreign shores they so desperately want to. They make the hard decision to take the ‘donkey’ (‘Dunki’) route – a way for illegal immigrants to make their way. It’s a tumultuous journey riddled with hardships and challenges.

‘Dunki’s’ story is an emotional one – rolling in friendship, romance, heart-wrenching and heart-warming moments all into one. Manu and Hardy’s tender love story unfolds from Laltu to London and back.. And in trademark Hirani style, there are dollops of comedy which is laced with satire to make it an entertaining ride, along with the strong message the film brings forth. Although the take on the issue is simplistic and sometimes the humour is iffy. The expansive narrative (Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani, Kanika Dhillon) not only crosses borders and landscapes but also has a 25-year time leap.

‘Dunki’ is a film about unfulfilled aspirations and reaching out for dreams beyond means and boundaries. The belief that reaching a first-world country is all about access to a bright future and the desperation to get there by any means. “London jana hain, pound mein kamana hain”, asserts Manu at one point. As the film sprawls across continents and changing landscapes, they dodge bullets, risk their lives and more only to realise that their dream destination doesn’t hold the gleam they imagined. There is a naivety in their dream oblivious of the reality of living as an illegal immigrant. However, as the screenplay is doused with several emotional wallops, be prepared for some tear-jerking scenes. And it has its share of meandering moments, loopholes and an old-world charm that may not work for some.

Overall, ‘Dunki’ is a wholesome entertainer that’s rousing, relevant, romantic and about returning to your roots.

Genre:Comedy, Drama, Social
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast:Vikram Kochhar, Taapsee Pannu, Shah Rukh Khan, Parikshit Sahni, Satish Shah, Boman Irani, Anil Grover