“Dunki,” directed and edited by Rajkumar Hirani, distinguishes itself by not solely depending on Shahrukh Khan’s star power. While Khan’s charisma is undeniably important, the film’s appeal also stems from its well-crafted screenplay.
Authored by Hirani, Abhijat Joshi, and Kanika Dhillon, “Dunki” delves into the challenges of illegal immigration. It blends moments of enjoyment, intense drama, and a thoughtful exploration of the ethical and legal complexities associated with entering a foreign country without proper authorization.
The story’s circular nature captures the confusion experienced by individuals navigating between their dreams and the challenges they face. Simultaneously, it demonstrates a well-rounded structure, shedding light on the fears and uncertainties of those choosing to leave their homeland for a new life in a foreign land among strangers.
In the initial part of Dunki, the film kicks off with a lively and humorous scene as an elderly woman escapes a London hospital and seeks assistance from an immigration advocate. The latter half of the 160-minute film takes on a more serious tone.The storyline involves a perilous journey without maps, crossing a river, a desert, a snow-covered mountain, and a vast wilderness reaching to the horizon. Tragedy unfolds after the protagonist and his friends attempt various strategies to outsmart the IELTS system.
“Dunki” stands out due to stellar performances, notably from the lead actor and Taapsee Pannu, who portrays a character more than just the hero’s romantic interest. They skillfully navigate the story’s highs and lows, primarily lows, brought about by the characters’ repeated leaps of faith into unknown terrains and an equally unfamiliar land.At the core of the plot is a surprising love story. Impressively, it achieves this without excessive effort, maintaining a delicate balance between emotions, intellect, and spirit. The film crafts an emotionally engaging narrative with twists that remain within reasonable bounds of believability.
In “Dunki,” co-produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, each of the four main characters has its own space in the story. There’s the determined ex-soldier Hardy Dhillon (played by SRK), Manu Randhawa (Taapsee Pannu), Buggu Lakhanpal (Vikram Kochhar), and Balli Kakkar (Anil Grover).
Each character has a meaningful story, and it’s not just about the time they spend on screen. All their stories contribute significantly to the overall experiences and emotions that shape the movie’s narrative.
In the film, Buggu’s mom works as a security guard, Balli’s mom takes on tailoring jobs, and Manu lost her home due to unpaid debt. The storyline shifts between the present and the 1990s in Laltu, Punjab. Despite facing tough times and poverty, Manu, Buggu, and Balli dream of going to London, aiming to break free from their challenging circumstances.
In the film, one person has to invest a lot of money to pursue their dream, while another learns wrestling to secure a sports visa. Everyone also enrolls in English classes with Geetu Gulati (Boman Irani), who assures them that going to England is a breeze.
However, their efforts take a bad turn. Lives are lost, money is squandered, and the wrestling skills acquired don’t prove useful when it truly matters.
Fortunately for the three buddies, an ingenious individual named Hardy Dhillon from Pathankot joins them with a specific goal, becoming their go-to guy for everything except English-speaking skills.
Their daring plan exposes them to a world where trigger-happy border guards don’t hesitate to take lives on duty.
While shedding light on the challenges faced by undocumented immigrants and delving into how departures and displacements impact the lives of those living illegally, the film offers an engaging yet thought-provoking perspective on the consequences of doing the “dunki” (a slang term for an illegal border crossing) to reach Europe for a better life.
Dunki has moments that express familiar truths and might feel a bit expected, but it also includes smart insights mixed with just the right emotions. This maintains a strong impact as Hardy, Manu, Buggu, and Balli venture on their risky journey.
Some may argue that Dunki sometimes makes light of people wanting to leave their village and country for better opportunities and romanticizes the struggles of those trying to sneak into the UK, as a kind of protest against British history in India. Fortunately, the characters and the film don’t give false hope and come back to reality.
It’s unmistakably a Rajkumar Hirani film, finding humor in the challenges people face when rules matter more than human feelings, and poor people face tough situations due to borders set up by nations.
Shahrukh Khan in Dunki plays a different role compared to his other movies this year. He portrays an altruistic trouble-shooter risking a lot for the truth. Whether as a young man facing life’s twists or an older villager still full of life, SRK brings lots of charm. Taapsee Pannu is also fantastic, matching SRK’s style with great skill.