User Reviews

Dhanak is about Pari and Chotu trying hard (and travelling a lot) to meet Shahrukh Khan so that he can help Chotu to be able to see again. They meet many people in their journey and in the end Chotu is not blind anymore and sees a rainbow (Dhanak).

The two main characters are Pari and Chotu played by Hetal Gadda and Krrish Chhabria respectively. They play their roles to perfection. Their characters are written very well. Pari is the mature one and is a huge Shahrukh Khan fan whereas Chotu is the funny one, the character who you root for and is a Salman Khan fan. Chotu's constant bickering will make your day. There are many other side characters as well who perform admirably.

Best things about the movie-

1. Pari and Chotu's chemistry. Almost everything Chotu says provoke laughter and almost everything pari says is logical. Their characters are so different yet their chemistry is amazing.

2. The scene where Pari and Chotu climb a sand dune along with a horde of villagers to see Shahrukh Khan and Vipin Shah (Uncle of Pari and Chotu) arrives at the scene. The background score of this scene in particular is intense.

3. Chotu's lines. The time he starts saying loudly "Sorry Salman Bhai! Sorry Salman Bhai!" when Pari and the truck driver are talking about Shahrukh Khan. A police officer asks him "Andha hai?" (Are you blind) and he replies "Kyu? Apko bhi nhi dikhta?" (Why? you can't see either?). Another scene where they go to a truck driver to ask for water and he says "Bahut dino se pani nhi piya" (I haven't drank water for days) just like a beggar. And his love for food (and toilet jokes) is hilarious.

Some gripes I have with the movie are

1. The film maintains a realistic tone but leaves it completely the moment fortune teller arrives at the scene. That small part felt disconnected and illogical as well.

2. The ending. I, for some reason felt that the ending was rushed. It could have been better.

3. The kidnappers part should have been longer and should have replaced the entire fortune teller thing.

What should you do?

Watch this movie as soon as possible because it will hit you with its simplicity and how beautiful life can be. And of course for the lead pair, Hetal and Krrish.

Dhanak is a very sweet film by Nagesh Kukunoor. Dhanak means Rainbow. Dhanak makes us believe that there is no dearth of goodness in our society. Dhanak has already garnered lot of appreciation at various international film festivals viz. Berlin Film Festival, Montreal International Children's Film Festival, International Film Festival at Los Angeles, Toronto International Film Festival etc. It beautifully portrays the story of a brother-sister duo, who embark on a journey of their lifetime across the deserts of Rajasthan in an attempt to meet the superstar Shah Rukh Khan. I could not stop myself from comparing it with 2015 release Barefoot to Goa, a film by Praveen Morchhale (Click here to read my Preview as well as Review of this film). Indeed the objectives of the travel of the brother-sister duo in both the films are different, but, the tone of the film, various positive experiences of the kids during their journey are almost parallel.

Two protagonists of the film are orphaned siblings - Pari (Hetal Gadda) and Chotu (Krrish Chhabria). Pari is elder to Chotu. They lose their parents in an accident and now stay with their Chacha- Chachi i.e. uncle-aunty (Vipin Sharma and Gulfam Khan). Pari is very protective of Chotu who has lost his eyesight at the age of four. Pari is a die- hard Shah Rukh Khan fan and Chotu, a Salman Khan fan. It is interesting to watch them walk to the school everyday with stories of either Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan. Chotu tosses coin everyday morning before going to school and that is how they decide that whose story to be told that day, whether Shah Rukh's or Salman's. Pari does not even mind failing in her class for consecutive two years so as to be in the same class as that of Chotu so that she can take care of him. Vipin Sharma as Chacha is very much attached to children and they have their fun moments watching film or roaming around. Gulfam Khan as Chachi is not very tolerant towards kids. But this hardly bothers Pari and Chotu, they are always full of life and enjoy each other's company.

Pari decides to write letters to Shah Rukh Khan when she sees an advertisement of Shah Rukh for eye donation campaign. She feels that Shah Rukh can help her bring back Chotu's eyesight. When she comes to know that Shah Rukh is there at Jaisalmer for film shooting, she decides to go to Jaisalmer, though very far from her place, along with Chotu to meet Shah Rukh Khan and ask for his help. Pari feels that it would be the best birthday gift to her kid brother, who was going to be 9 years old.

Rest of the story is about how these two kids tread the unknown path. Whom all they meet during their journey, most of them being good samaritans, how their journey shape up? Pari and Chotu's constant banter about Shah Rukh and Salman is interesting. They do face challenges as well, be it some people with bad intention or the heat of the desert. Dhanak showcases the beauty of desert clubbed with Chotu and Pari's journey, musical performances in between, their new friendships, associations with different people, and yes dangers too. The innocence of children is captured beautifully. It is amazing to see, how the film is woven beautifully with kids' one simple wish and their journey for the same. Ultimately, do the kids manage to meet the superstar ?

Chotu's high energy performance and Pari's lovely innocent performances add lot of value to the film. Both the kids are adorable, innocent as well as mature. Another kid who has given a very sweet performance is the one who played the role of Shamsher, whom Pari-Chotu meet during their journey. The way three kids bond is awesome. How Vibha Chibber, Suresh Menon and others become a part of their journey is for you to explore. Rajasthani folk Music in the film is soulful.

Dhanak, a beautiful story about the journey of a brother-sister duo, is woven around one simple wish, and it encompasses the goodness existing in and around us. Not only various human emotions, relationships are explored in the film, but the beauty of deserts covered is also breathtaking. It makes one believe in one's dreams and write one's own destiny or at least take efforts for the same. Dhanak would make you fall in love with the rainbow. Enjoy this film, it is certainly going to bring big smile on your face.

Waiting for NK to top/equal 'Iqbal' and 'Dor' (hell, even 'Hyderabad Blues').

With his last venture being way too dark (Lakshmi), both from a content and his own role's standpoints, it looks like he needed a kind of break from dark matter, so he made this fairy-tale, that's also promising a future novelization.

It does tread towards darker themes a couple of times, but that's done softly, and veers off sharply before things become too maudlin.

If I were looking to label this movie using a thematic reference, I'd describe it as being bright, optimistic and simplistic, that is often the mainstay of most mainstream potboilers as well, but they do those loudly, without subtlety. This, on the other hand, makes a good companion piece to a movie that came out earlier this year, Nil Battey Sannaata.

But does it have the meat necessary to call it substantial? I, humbly, don't think so. But, on the other hand, why do we expect every movie we watch, to have meat, and heft? Why can't tales be as simplistic as this one turns out to be? I have no answer, save mentioning that I did have expectations going in, which were not met.

But the movie left me with a smile on my face. I did resent the frequent musical interludes, but the folksy fusion stuff is done so well, that I ultimately bought into that Bollywood-ness, ultimately (perhaps during the 3rd musical track).

Like any fairy-tale, this one's populated with quirky/weird supporting characters, that perform specific functions, and in 1 case, even surprise. They all have their unique tic, and help propel the movie forward, so that the viewing experience becomes something smooth, and something worth going through more than once, though I will not be making another trip to the multiplex for this one.

The cinematography, location/set design, score, et al are all at the top of their respective games, and support the content, which is, as I've been saying whenever I've observed it, as it should be.

Ultimately:

Good for kids/family outing.

Feel-good stuff.

Not very powerful as such, or great, but decent. Few loopholes, but stuff we won't focus on, even for the discerning reviewer, though there are no surprises as such.

Definitely far better than all the mainstream stuff on public consumption right now.

And yes, both kids have given fantastic performances. Major revelations, especially Hetal.

There are movies where everything feels right - we root for the hero(es) through their adventures/misadventures, the writer/director's sleight of hand ranges from subtle humour to laugh out loud set ups/reveals and there is often a statement that lingers beyond the obvious accessibility. We leave the cinema with a nice, warm feeling of having lived the adventure vicariously through the protagonists. Ferris Beuller's Day Off and Children of Heaven would be two examples of such shows with happy endings while Cinema Paradiso and Life is Beautiful would be similar shows with a strong emotional release at the end.

Dhanak, however, is NOT one those movies. And its overhype here is simply staggering! While I found the sister character (Pari) believable, consistent and appealing, I can't say the same about her brother, Chottu.

He may have one or two aw-so-adorable moments but he starts to grate early on and this does not let up through the movie full of hokey moments. He insists on honesty with the truck driver but lies to the policeman, confident despite his disability but quick to use it to defend his shenanigans and mistakes, is demanding (insisting on food before the bus ride, wanting chocolates from the white guy) and is pretty much unapologetic and I'd say even ungrateful. He is Scrabby Doo complete with the 'lemme at him' irritation.

The writer/director is obviously very astute - preying on the insatiable Indian appetite for Bollywood name dropping, playing to stereotypes and clichés (music and all) and always choosing convenient plot development (white guy doing a Eat-Pray-Love??) over resolving any episode/topic (the child abduction racket obviously continues as does the Divine Mother con etc).

My biggest grouse and his ultimate failing is in not giving us a magical ending (like Children of Heaven) or even a satisfying one (have the kid stand up to the bully after he gets his eyesight back at least).

If people find this movie uplifting, sure, feel uplifted. But please don't make it sound like this movie is THE example of what an uplifting movie is. Children of Heaven has this beat by a mile.

Two wonderful kids, Hetal Gada as Pari and Krrish Chhabria as Chhotu walks a wonderful journey of life to give us one superb movie called Dhanak.

Pari's only wish from life is to gift the vision to her loving brother Chhotu on his ninth birthday. The kids stay with their Chacha and Chachi and when their wicked Chachi refuse to pay for his surgery, she along with her brother starts a journey to meet Shahrukh Khan (shooting in a nearby place) who they believe will pay for the surgery.

What happens in the journey makes the synopsis of the movie. Pari is a fan of Shahrukh while Chhotu is a fan of Salman. Their cute quarrel about who is a better actor gives some nice moments to the movie. The chemistry between both the kids would make you believe that they are real siblings. A female bandit on the way, an about to be wedded family, a gang wanting to kidnap Pari and sale her off, a truck driver who gives them lift, a foreigner who is walking for world peace are the various characters you meet for a short duration on their journey.

The story line is so real, the kids are so lively, the scenes from picturesque Rajasthan makes it a wonderful show piece. Above everything, it's the kids to watch out for.

Kukunoor came back after a wonderful Laxmi with this movie and with a star in Pari (Hetal Gada). She is the heart and soul of the movie even though Chhotu (Krrish Chhabria) keeps the rhythm going.

And if such a cute movie doesn't have a happy ending, nothing else would.