Movie Review (Dunki)

Dunki (2023)

London - City of dreams or City of Nightmare?

Grass is always greener on the other side. People migrating to foreign countries for want of better life is not a new scenario but there is an ugly side too. There are numerous underprivileged, uneducated people who attempt to reach the target country illegally, risking their lives. 

Rajkumar Hirani's SRK starrer "Dunki" has attempted its best to portray the plights of those people. Technically, "Dunki is an illegal trip a lot of people take to get out of their country across borders over the world. It is called the donkey travel", SRK had said in one of the interviews before the movie hit the screen. 

The movie begins with a dramatic scene where Mannu (Taapsee Pannu), an old lady under medication  escapes from a hospital in London, to return to India as soon as possible. She also requests Hardy Singh (SRK) an old man from her village Laltu in Punjab to help her. When he accepts, she and her two old pals leap with joy remembering their homeland which they left 25 years ago. 

Flash backing, the movie unleashes Hardy Singh attempting to help his love Mannu and her friends to reach London. As a part of it they join an IELTS institute where Boman Irani teaches. How can we expect a bunch of carefree youngsters from a village to crack the exam? They fail. So does their pipedream to reach London. 

Will these all-or-nothing pals stop dreaming? A big NO! This time they choose a path, less travelled by; a life-threatening one— Dunki! They travel illegally across the borders, some of their companions die on the way. The city of dreams turns to be the city of nightmare to these innocent intruders. 

They become undocumented labourers in London, hide in dingy bunkers, do menial jobs, earn their bread with the sweat of their brows. Every passing second poses danger— Danger of being caught, being imprisoned, worst of all being deported to India. With heavy hearts that linger back in their homeland, lose their years in the foreign country. Finally after the ordeal of 25 years will they be able to set foot in their homeland? Their beloved Laltu? 

The movie has portrayed the sufferings of the undocumented workers abroad so vividly. The first half was hilarious with Boman Irani as an IELTS master. His entry with the punchline "Birmingham, here I come!" arose thunderous laughter amidst the audience. One aspect of the movie which amazed me was, the balancing of emotions — one scene made me laugh where as the another made me feel for the characters; even to realise the grim and hidden realities of  migration, cross border violence, undocumented labouring, alienation, etc., There was love, there was humour, there was pain, there was patriotism, and ultimately, there was learning! Only after watching this movie did I come to know about the murky side of these exams like IELTS. No wonder that the institutes are becoming cash cows as people believe foreign countries to be safe refuges. Privileged ones pass; underprivileged? They trespass!!!

Even after reaching the country risking their lives,  surviving is not a cake walk there. Hiding all the agonies behind, they facade a picture-perfect life, to make their family happy. But can they ever witness that "happiness" on their loved ones' faces?  Life reduces to a rat race for all these migrant birds. 

In a nutshell, Dunki was a satisfying watch for a drama lover like me. It Hilariously hit the nail on head. The casting had it all with occasional hamming though. I would like to quote Hardy Singh here. "Nothing is over until it's over!" 

Chin up!!!