Dunki, a 2023 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film, delves into the theme of “donkey flight,” an illegal immigration method. Directed and edited by Rajkumar Hirani, alongside writers Abhijat Joshi and Kanika Dhillon, it features Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, and Boman Irani. Produced under Red Chillies Entertainment, Jio Studios, and Rajkumar Hirani Films, the film commenced production in April 2022, concluding by late April 2023. Shot across various locales including Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kashmir, Budapest, London, Jeddah, and Neom, it boasts a soundtrack by Pritam and Shekhar Ravjiani, with cinematography by C. K. Muraleedharan, Manush Nandan, and Amit Roy, and editing by Rajkumar Hirani. Dunki hit theaters worldwide on December 21, 2023, garnering critical acclaim for its performances, direction, music, screenplay, cinematography, and humor. Despite comparisons to Hirani’s earlier works, it emerged as a box office blockbuster, grossing over ₹471 crore (US$59 million) against a ₹120 crore (US$15 million) budget. The film earned nine nominations at the 69th Filmfare Awards, winning Best Supporting Actor for Kaushal

Contents
Overall Dunki Movie 2023
Category | Details |
---|---|
Directed by | Rajkumar Hirani |
Written by | Rajkumar Hirani Abhijat Joshi Kanika Dhillon |
Produced by | Jyoti Deshpande Gauri Khan Gaurav Verma Rajkumar Hirani |
Starring | Shah Rukh Khan Taapsee Pannu Boman Irani Anil Grover Vikram Kochhar Vicky Kaushal |
Narrated by | Vikram Kochhar |
Cinematography | C. K. Muraleedharan Manush Nandan Amit Roy |
Edited by | Rajkumar Hirani |
Music by | Songs: Pritam, Shekhar Ravjiani Background Score: Aman Pant |
Production companies | Jio Studios Red Chillies Entertainment Rajkumar Hirani Films |
Release date | 21 December 2023 |
Running time | 161 minutes |
Country | India |
Language | Hindi |
Budget | ₹120 crore |
Box office | Estimated ₹470.6 crore |
Dunki | Official Trailer
Cast of Dunki Movie 2023
Actor | Character | Description |
---|---|---|
Shah Rukh Khan | Hardayal “Hardy” Sukhdev Singh Dhillon | An Ex-serviceman of the Sikh Regiment, Indian Army |
Taapsee Pannu | Manu Randhawa | Hardayal’s love interest |
Vicky Kaushal | Sukhi Singh (special appearance) | |
Boman Irani | Geetendar “Geetu” Gulati | Owner and English Trainer at Indi2UK IELTS coaching classes |
Vikram Kochhar | Balindar “Buggu” Lakhanpal | |
Anil Grover | Balli Kakkad | |
Jyoti Subhash | Santosh | Buggu’s grandmother |
Deven Bhojani | Advocate Puru Pardeep Patel | UK Bar Council |
Manoj Kant | Manu’s father | |
Arun Bali | Manu’s older father | |
Amardeep Jha | Manu’s mother | |
Suhail Zargar | Mahinder Randhawa | Manu’s brother |
Jaanvi Sangwan | Mahinder’s wife | |
Vishnu Kaushal | Gulab Nagra | |
Komal Sachdeva | Chameli Nagra | |
Diwanshu Gambhir | Parminder “Pumpi” Dingra | |
Rohitashv Gour | Fake Visa Agent at Laltu | |
Piyush Raina | Bobby | Owner of Bobby da Dhaba |
Jitendra Hooda | Indian Dunki Agent | |
Mushari Alatawi | Iranian Dunki agent | |
Shahid Latief | Bakir | Saudi Arabian Dunki Agent |
Mahavir Bhullar | Buggu’s father | |
Sapna Sand | Buggu’s mother | |
Jatinder Kaur | Balli’s mother | |
Jeremy Wheeler | British Judge | |
Jay Miller | Church Priest | |
Attila Árpa | Buggu’s manager in London | |
Richard B. Klein | IELTS Examiner | |
Daniel Short | Junkie groom | |
Nikhil Ratnaparkhi | Thief at Laltu Railway Station | |
Karim Saidi | Officer Omar Abbassi | |
Ranjha Vikram Singh | Shop purchaser | |
Gurpreet Ghuggi | Co-passenger at Laltu Railway Station | |
Vijayant Kohli | Man whom Hardy wrongly assumes as Chaddha | |
Vivek Sharma | Dunki Agent in last scene |
Dunki OTT release

Dunki Movie Review:
How is the performance of the actors in Dunki?
The actors in Dunki are receiving widespread acclaim, particularly Shah Rukh Khan, who portrays Hardy Singh Dhillon. His performance is being lauded as memorable, showcasing his prowess as one of Bollywood’s leading talents. This being his third film of 2023, fans and critics alike appreciate the emotional depth he brings to his character, reaffirming his title as the ‘Badshah’ of Bollywood. Vicky Kaushal’s portrayal of Sukhi is also earning praise, with audiences enjoying the chemistry between him and Taapsee Pannu, who portrays Manu.
Dunki Movie Public Response and Reviews
#WATCH | Mumbai | After watching Dunki, comedian-actor Sunil Pal says, “…Rajkumar Hirani and Shah Rukh Khan have given a very good message…The message is ‘Saare jahan se achcha Hindustan hamara’…Look for either masala films or meaningful films. This is a meaningful film…I… pic.twitter.com/bVxIammS6o
— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2023
#DunkiReview ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️#Dunki is a HILARIOUS – EMOTIONAL & SOCIALLY RELEVANT ENTERTAINER
Film deals with the serious issue of illegal immigration narrated in an immensely entertaining manner which makes you laugh out loud throughout the first half & pushes the boundary in… pic.twitter.com/DzboU9TvWw
— Sumit Kadel (@SumitkadeI) December 21, 2023
#DunkiReview ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️#Dunki is a HILARIOUS – EMOTIONAL & SOCIALLY RELEVANT ENTERTAINER
Film deals with the serious issue of illegal immigration narrated in an immensely entertaining manner which makes you laugh out loud throughout the first half & pushes the boundary in… pic.twitter.com/DzboU9TvWw
— Sumit Kadel (@SumitkadeI) December 21, 2023
Dunki review by an honest Salman fan, the guy didn’t mince words 😭😭#DunkiReviewpic.twitter.com/EsC2eORiKh
— ح (@hmmbly) December 21, 2023
Dunki Plot Review
Dunki Final Words
In conclusion, Dunki has garnered an abundance of praise from both audiences and critics alike. Its heartwarming narrative, stellar performances, and adept balance of humor and emotion have struck a chord with viewers. Shah Rukh Khan, in particular, shines in his portrayal of Hardy Singh Dhillon, infusing the character with depth and authenticity. The chemistry between the lead actors, especially Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee Pannu, further enhances the film’s appeal.
