Director: Nagesh Kukunoor
Cast: Hetal Gadda, Krrish Chhabria, Vipin Sharma, Rajiv Lakshman, Gulfam Khan, Vibha Chibber, and Vijay Maurya
Devoid of any melodrama, Nagesh Kukunoor’s ‘Dhanak’ tells a beautiful tale of siblings Pari ( Hetal Gadda ) and her visually challenged brother Chotu ( Krrish Chhabria ), who live with their paternal uncle and aunt (played by Vipin Sharma and Gulfam Khan) in the arid desert of Rajasthan.
Pari is a Shah Rukh Khan fan, whereas her younger brother Chotu is a die hard Salman Khan fan, who even wears a replica of the actor’s famous ‘feroza’ bracelet. Being the loving older sister she is, Pari has only one wish is to get Chotu his eye sight back before his 9th birthday. However, she must come up with a way to fund the surgery as her aunt refuses to give her any monetary support.
After finding a banner of Shah Rukh promoting an eye donation campaign, she is assured that he will help her. With her brother in tow, she then embarks on a journey to Jaisalmer to meet SRK. As one can expect, the two engage in a cute and childish banter about which of the two stars is the ultimate superstar, without demeaning the other.
On their long journey in the blistering heat, they meet many characters that are equally endearing and who have been beautifully woven into the screenplay. The two children meet rather colourful and interesting characters along the way, like a truck driver who also likes Shah Rukh Khan, and a family who shelters them for a night before they saddle up and hit the road to Jaisalmer.
The kids, with their crackling camaraderie are a delight to watch, especially when they weave fictitious story about Shah Rukh and Salman. Their journey through the picturesque scenes of Rajasthan, coupled with soulful music make the film an enchanting watch.
The film gets slightly repetitive towards the second half when the kids keep meeting one too many good Samaritans. Despite this, it still manages to hold your interest with its perfect ensemble cast.
Rajiv Lakshman shines in his cameo role. His brightly coloured costume with his thick moustache makes him look like native folk from the state. Vipin Sharma who plays the chacha in the film, will leave a smile on your face.
Dhanak reminds us that life is beautiful and that no matter what the hardships, we should learn to see the brighter side of things.
The film has moments which will leave a lump in your throat and moments that will make you laugh loud.
