Movie Review : Dunki









Nope, this does not do justice at all to what Raj Kumar Hirani is known for. 

Munna Bhai movies, 3 Idiots, Ferrari ki Sawaari and PK have all put him on a pedestal where his name is enough to watch a movie. Alas! Things are slightly different this time.


To be honest, it's not a bad movie. And in fact it is much better than some of the trash seen in recent past. It is more of a what could have have been!!


Three friends with a London dream set on an illegal immigration journey and are assisted by SRK in the process. Towards the end of the movie, it's "India calling" for them again, and a 25 years older SRK is there again to help them come back. Throw in some doses of comedy, love, friendship and Desi emotions.... And that's Dunki for you.


First things first, I have got sick of these big budget movies using Indian Army's name just for the sake of gaining some brownie points and then making a complete mockery of not trying to get even the basics right. We have seen this in Gadar-2, Jawaan and now Dunki. 


We have a soldier here, who is posted in Pathankot and he is shown for a split second to have got a bullet injury somehow. Well, generally operational bullet injuries do not happen to Indian Army soldiers in Pathankot. And if it were to happen somehow, then certainly the injured soldier would not be evacuated by a Punjabi villager carrying him on his shoulders to the hospital. Yes, SRK fans and movie buffs may lap it up, but please spare a thought for the realities on ground.


Now one year later, that soldier comes looking for that Punjabi villager as he could not thank him enough earlier. The soldier must have taken official leave from his duties for this; but for some reason he gets emotionally attached to the London dream of a few village friends, falls in love with Taapsee in the process and, voila, there is no requirement to return back to his duties... So this serving soldier of the Indian Army ends up living in this village for months and thereafter gets on to a long journey of illegal entry into England, has a tiff with the courts of law in London and is deported back to India. Thereafter he continues his life in the same village where he came to thank his saviour. And all this while his being a fauji is brandished in a few dialogues here and there for some impact. Spare me the blushes please !!


I read on IMDb that "Dunki is a hilarious and heartwarming saga of a perilous journey, borders, friendships, nostalgia for home, and love that towers above it all". To be honest, the comedy is there in trademark Hirani style wherever it is intended to be there but becomes overbearing at times, the "heart warming saga off a perilous journey" could not give the desired impact of the struggles of illegal immigration and the "love that towers above it all" lacks the chemistry which can get you smiling. 


The story, backed up by some good camera work, definitely had a lot of potential for a good cinematic experience. But the writing is weak and lacks requisite punch to build up the emotions of the struggle of illegal immigration. Things appear far too easy for them. 


Vicky Kaushal has lived upto his rising reputation in a small role and has delivered an impactful performance The other side artists are also good. Taapsee is just about okay, but lacks in building up a chemistry with SRK. 


SRK. Well, if you are a hard core SRK fan go right ahead and watch it. But I am not, and so pardon me for saying that he is the weakest link in the movie. Not for his acting skills which he has got truck loads of. Not for his charisma since he owns every frame which he is part of. But somehow I have seen a recurring theme with SRK in recent years, where there is a tendency of showing him as "larger than life" through the way he talks, the way he walks, the way he laughs and basically the way he appears on screen. His accent and dialogue delivery in the movie appears absolutely artificial, which takes the pleasure away from so many other good things on the screen. I do not understand as to why has he been thrusted with a Punjabi accent just because he is in a Punjabi village. It does not come naturally to him and it is very evident.


The background score is okay but there are no songs which can be remembered once the movie is over.


Overall, it is definitely watchable for a likeable set of stars, a relatable to life village theme and a simple take on a complex issue of illegal immigration.


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Credits : World Wide Web 


 

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