Dunki movie review: Hirani, Shah Rukh's well-intentioned immigration saga tugs at your heart but leaves you unfulfilled

Director: Rajkumar Hirani

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Anil Grover, Vikram Kochhar, Boman Irani, and Vicky Kaushal

Where to watch: Theatres

Rating: 3 stars

For just over two decades, Shah Rukh Khan’s strength was drama, romance, and storytelling based on a strong emotional core. Action did not come through for him, be it in One 2 Ka 4, Duplicate, and Ra.One. Then came 2023 and his renaissance happened with two mass actioners. So when his third offering of the year was a throwback to the good old days – a content-backed film from Rajkumar Hirani – expectations were naturally high. It is perhaps these expectations that are the undoing of Dunki. The film is by no means bad or even unwatchable. It is just below the standard of cinema we have come to expect from Hirani and Shah Rukh.

Dunki is the story of Hardy Singh (Shah Rukh), a soldier who reaches the small town of Laltu in Punjab, where he meets and befriends four young people and promises to fulfil their London  dreams. When the official channels fail, Hardy opts for the dangerous dunki route, the illegal immigration path followed by millions of immigrants each year. Dunki is the story of Hardy and the troubles faced by him and his friends - Taapsee Pannu, Anil Grover, Vikram Kochhar, and Vicky Kaushal – in this journey. And in true Hirani style, it leaves you with a message about the futility of borders and a sermon on class divide.

There is a lot to like about Dunki. It comes at a time when immigration – the kind where people risk their lives – is on the rise globally. People are escaping war and poverty in search of a better life in the West, where countries are closing their borders to these asylum seekers. The issue is relevant and poignant. The setting is real and the emotional core is in place. And yet, the end result leaves you desiring for more.

The plot is straightforward with no convolutions to confuse you. It makes you feel for the characters, for their hardships, and also for the overall issue of leaving your home without really wanting to. It’s relatable. There are scenes that really tug at your heart. Interestingly enough, while Shah Rukh does shoulder the film quite deftly, the scene-stealing moments come from Vicky Kaushal in his impactful cameo.

But the humour – which used to be the strength of any Hirani film – does not come through. Shah Rukh works best when the humour in his films has wit and charm instead of goofiness. His personality lends to that more effectively. In Dunki, there are times when he seems like a misfit. But the star leaves no stone unturned in his efforts. The trailer had many doubting if he’d be able to pull off the young Hardy but he does a fine job. The digital de-ageing does not look as glaring in the theatre.

But overall, the tone of Dunki remains subdued. It never grabs you like some of Hirani’s previous work as. It never gets dull bet not fully engaging either. Dunki remains in limbo for much of its first half, taking time to build the story up, jumping out at in you a few places but content otherwise.

Shah Rukh Khan is excellent in the emotional scenes even as he does go overboard in a couple of sequences, particularly one of his monologues. There is impact but there is also a bit of melodrama. In comparison, his recent monologue in Jawan’s climax was much more measured. His comic timing is good when he is trying to be smooth but as soon as he gets into the clumsy territory, it rankles. Taapsee Pannu is a good foil, delivering a strong performance that may not be one of her best but is certainly applause-worthy.

The real scene-stealer is Vicky Kaushal in his 30-minute appearance. In the emotional scenes, he outshines everybody, even elevating Shah Rukh’s performance. In the comic sequences, he brings a level of freshness that this film really needed. For the first time in a Hirani film, Boman Irani looked rather forgettable, which is surprising considering the actor has given some of his best performances under the director. Anil Grover and Vikram Kochhar, the film’s other two stars, are good as well, doing justice to their roles.

Dunki is Rajkumar Hirani’s most intense film. The trailer does not do justice to it, honestly. It has much more heart and much less action than what was shown. But it is also a missed opportunity to me. With this issue, with this story, and with this cast, the film could have been one for the ages. For now, it’s just good. And that’s the trouble when the bar is set high; you are forever being compared to your best.