Dhanak Movie Review: Three Cheers For Kukunoor And The Kids!

It is said that films with kids or animals in the lead roles are the toughest to make, but when you have a master filmmaker like Nagesh Kukunoor at the helm, it can be guaranteed that the film will be one that will make a special place in your heart and Dhanak is a testimony to the fact.

Set in the sandy locales of Rajasthan, Dhanak revolves around Pari (Hetal Gada), a die-hard Shah Rukh Khan fan and her visually impaired younger brother Chotu (Krrish Chhabria), who swears by Salman Khan. The two orphans live with their paternal uncle (Vipin Sharma) in a hamlet in Rajasthan and live a relatively happy life despite the hardships that they encounter daily.

When Pari spots a poster featuring SRK urging people to participate in an ye donation camp, the little girl is convinced that her hero can help Chotu regain his eyesight and the two kids run away from home to meet Khan, who is supposedly shooting for a film in Jaisalmer.

Armed with nothing but determination and faith, the two kids trek across Rajasthan and come across various characters on their way to Jaisalmer. But will the kids get to meet SRK? Watch the film to find out…

Krrish and Hetal, who have made their debuts with this film, are superb in their roles and simply win your heart over with their wide-eyed naiveté coupled with their precociousness. Krrish has played the role of a visually impaired boy like a pro and it is tough to believe that this is his first film while Hetal is the elder sister every guy wanted as a little kid.

The banter between the siblings as they argue about their favourite superstars, is highly entertaining and will surely remind you of your childhood days. Their characters are so lovable that despite knowing that the film is a work of fiction, you will find yourself rooting for them and hoping for their success. The film also stars actors such as Vipin Sharma, Ninad Kamat, Vibha Chibber, Vijay Maurya and others and all have done a wonderful job in their short roles.

The beauty of the film lies in Kukunoor's talent in weaving a story, which is not only a feel-good fare, but also contains a sense of adventure as the two intrepid kids set out on their 'mission'. Nagesh deserves kudos for coming up with lovely characters and making them utterly believable and real.  The final half hour of the film is somewhat incredible, but by that time, you have fallen in love with the characters to an extent to forgive anything.

If the trailer of the film made you think that it is a film only for children, you are sorely mistaken. Dhanak, which has bagged many awards at international film festivals, is most definitely a film for the entire family.