Film Review: Dunki [Donkey Track]

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

Director: Rajkumar Hirani

This big Christmas release from the filmmaker behind iconic Bollywood box-office hits such as ‘3 Idiots’ and ‘PK’ has been a one to watch for most of 2023. Let’s find out if this yearend Shah Rukh Khan outing lives up to his other big successes of the year.

Hardayal ‘Hardy’ Singh Dhillon (Khan) is an Indian Army officer who makes a trek from his hometown in the hills to the small Punjab town of Laltu. His mission is a noble one – to track down the tattooed young man who saved his life as he lay dying on the battlefield. But this seemingly simple mission turns into a lifetime commitment when he runs into Manu Randhawa (Pannu), who recruits him to coach her in his wrestling techniques so she could qualify for a sports visa to the UK.

Hardy soon bonds with Manu’s motley crew – Buggu (Kochhar) and Balli (Grover) – united in their mission to overcome hurdles to get to London and earn some pounds in support of their families struggling to make ends meet.

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After being duped by a fraudster selling them false visa dreams, Manu’s gang lands up at Geetu Gulati’s (Irani) classes to clear the all-important International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Here, they came across Sukhi (Kaushal) whose urgency to get to London adds further pressure to the timelines.

However, when all their legitimate efforts came to nought, Hardy makes it his life’s mission to get his new-found friends to their destination. His love for the fiery Manu proves an added impetus as the gang sets off on the ‘Dunki’ track to illegally cross deserts, mountains and rivers to get to the UK. Will this dangerous and life-threatening so-called donkey track route lead them to their destination, or will the hurdles prove insurmountable?

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In typical Rajkumar Hirani style, the extremely serious subject matter of illegal immigration is handled with utmost sensitivity and even injected with laugh-out-loud humour. An issue which dominates global headlines is presented from a humane prism to highlight how the system is stacked against the poor and less privileged the world over.

Shah Rukh Khan as the patriotic messiah and devoted lover proves his versatility with a character in contrast with the thrilling action hero of ‘Jawan’ and ‘Pathaan’. Pannu as his love interest, Boman Irani as his confidant and the supporting cast of desperate visa seekers help create an impressive yearend classic.

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This film is most certainly the perfect family entertainer. It will not only make you laugh, cry and also leave you rattled over the eroding sense of humanity within the increasingly toxic migration debate.