'Middle-class people get visas easily': Rajkumar Hirani explains what went wrong with Shah Rukh Khan's Dunki

Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani has spoken about why Dunki, starring Shah Rukh Khan, did not resonate with audiences in the same way as his earlier films. While the film generated huge expectations ahead of its release in 2023, it received mixed reviews and performed more modestly at the box office compared with Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan and Jawan.

Speaking to Sanjay Arora on his YouTube channel, Hirani said a film's impact depends on how closely its story matches the audience's own experiences.

"Every film will touch different people differently. When you make 3 Idiots, it is about the education system, which touched every household, so it will reach every household. So, when I am making a film like Dunki, it is restricted to the people who are into illegal immigration."

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Hirani said the subject of Dunki was difficult for many viewers to relate to because the film focused on people who struggle to migrate abroad.

"Our cinema audiences are middle-class audiences who can easily get visas, but there is also a population whose visa can never get approved. We can travel when we get a US visa, but what about those people who don't have money, no bank balance? They have no chance of getting a visa, meaning they are condemned to stay where they are born, with no chance to travel. I think some people here could not relate to that."

Despite the film's mixed reception, Hirani said he has no regrets about making it.

"Not that nobody related with the film, I am still very proud of the film. But if you don't relate to certain things, they impact you less. Every filmmaker's life has that graph, some films affect a larger audience, some affect fewer

Hirani said the idea for Dunki came after he noticed the large number of visa coaching centres in Punjab, where people prepared to move overseas. What started as curiosity later turned into extensive research.

Recalling his visits to these institutes, Hirani said, "It was both sad and humorous."

He revealed that during the Covid-19 pandemic, he attended one such class in disguise.

"I went to a school wearing a mask, this was during Covid. I said I need admission, so they gave me a full presentation, and I attended a trial class. It was a small room full of 10–12 students, men and women, all above 30, and well what should I say about the teacher? It was both sad and humorous. The ones teaching English didn't know English, and those learning weren't really interested as well, they just wanted a student visa and to move abroad."

Released in 2023, Dunki follows a group of friends from a village in Punjab who dream of settling in the UK. Unable to secure legal visas, they take the dangerous "donkey flight" route to reach their destination.

The story revolves around Hardy, played by Shah Rukh Khan, and his friends as they face exploitation, life-threatening situations and emotional challenges during their journey. The narrative moves between the past and the present, showing Hardy's transformation and the impact of the migration journey on the group.

The film also stars Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal and several others in key roles.