Movie Review: Dunki

“Dunki,” directed by Rajkumar Hirani and co-written with his regular collaborator Abhijat Joshi and newcomer Kanika Dhillon, ventures into a storytelling style quintessential to Hirani’s previous works. The film opens with a compelling hook in the present, leading into an extensive flashback. This narrative structure, a signature of Hirani’s filmmaking, intersperses brief interludes of the present within the flashback, aiming to build the plot’s momentum.

Hirani’s films are known for their incident-driven narratives, laced with a brand of innocent humor that, while seemingly simplistic in isolation, creates a cohesive and meaningful tapestry when viewed in totality. This approach is a testament to Hirani’s background in editing. However, “Dunki” strays from the fulfilling emotional journey often associated with Hirani’s films. Addressing the serious issue of immigration, it tries to infuse humor, but this combination sometimes undermines the gravity of the subject, with humor occasionally missing its intended mark.

One area where “Dunki” could have further excelled is in its use of flashbacks. Instead of the usual…