Dunki 2023: Movie Review

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DEC 24, 2023

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Watched

Dunki

Movie by Rajkumar Hirani · 2023

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Watched?

I had heard of the high-level concept of Dunki a couple of years ago. And I was excited. No one had ever attempted a movie on this unique and hard-hitting concept. Fast forward to 2023 and I see the first teaser of Dunki. My expectations dropped to the ground. All the subsequent teasers and promos were duds at their best.

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Earlier this week when I was discussing Dunki with an industry friend, he shared that even Mr. Hirani was not too happy with the way promos have come out. The movie is supposed to be way better. The critic reviews didn't believe so. But then, they never do. Against my better judgement, I wanted the movie to be better and caught the 7pm show yesterday.

Some films are not meant to work. As a viewer, you realise this in scene one and keep hoping for the film to prove you wrong. Nothing about such films work — story, gags, actors, script, direction, songs, and even VFX (was it Red Chillies because they're amazing at VFX otherwise). I'd say avoid this movie if you don't want to start doubting Mr. Hirani's earlier movies. Details coming up ahead.

⚠️ Spoilers ahead ⚠️

A basic requirement for a movie or rather a story to work, is believability. As an audience, we have to be charmed by the characters to a level that we start believing them, live their life, feel the pain of their lows and consider them our own defeat. In Dunki, not a single character would dare to charm you. Most would ham or irritate you. The only character who is about to hit that note is a special appearance 😱

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Vicky Kaushal, the special appearance of Dunki, is the only actor and character who shines and touches you emotionally, for a couple of minutes. How is that for a drama from Mr. Hirani starring the most charming actor in the Indian film industry, Shah Rukh Khan?

Everything is a flat line, including the gags that are supposed to make the lighter part of Mr. Hirani's dramas. Worse: all the gimmicks (yes, that's what they would seem now) of Mr. Hirani's earlier films are repeated, fused and bomb!

⚠️ Trigger warning: Suicide ⚠️

The initial escape from a situation by fooling someone and sitting in a wheelchair, do you recall the start of 3 Idiots and Madhavan?! The narrator who explains the story and mightiness of the protagonist to the audience, Madhavan in 3 Idiots, Anushka Sharma in PK, Vicky Kaushal in Sanju. Characters attempting suicide, twice in 3 Idiots, if I recall it right. Caricaturish parents, Sharman Joshi and Madhavan's parents in 3 Idiots, again.

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I mean I can keep this going but you'll just be bored, as I was throughout the entire run of Dunki. There are a lot of Hirani gimmicks missing if one were to start categorising them. These are the ones that typically work really well — there is no 'Jaadu ki Jhappi' or 'All izz well' here. There is zero cultural message. Let me know if you find one?!

In terms of acting, the only Vick-torious one is mentioned earlier. Most others are decent but wasted. SRK is SRK and a bad version at that. Taapsee Pannu is also Taapsee of every other movie. There is no Hardy or Mannu. There is no chemistry or even a hint of affection here. I find this the saddest of the entire premise 😔

The real premise of the movie, the dunkiness, is rushed and strikes almost no emotion inside the audience. The shabbiness of the VFX is not just an eye sore but irritating most of the time. To sum up, there is neither the Hirani flavour to this movie nor the SRK charm we flock to the theatres for. One wonders if it's the script to be blamed, or the direction, or just everything.

When the soul is alive in a movie, the worst of blemishes are easily ignored and when the movie is dead, we tend to notice even the most decent of features and feel disappointed. This theory comes true with Dunki the movie! We wanted this film to work. It just wouldn't.