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If a film has its heart in the right place, it *will* weave magic on the big screen. And Dhanak exactly does that, feels Namrata Thakker.
There are few films which feed your soul. They make you happy, they inspire you and most importantly, they reaffirm your faith in human relationships.
Nagesh Kukunoor's latest venture Dhanak is one such film.
It's an endearing story about brother-sister bonding, about love, hope and all things bright and beautiful.
One thing as a filmmaker that Kuknoor does amazingly well is that he shows you that a film doesn't have to be high on drama and emotion to capture one's attention.
If a film has its heart in the right place, it *will* weave magic on the big screen. And Dhanak exactly does that.
Pari (Hetal Gada) is a die-hard Shah Rukh Khan fan and her brother Chotu (Krrish Chhabria), who lost his eyesight at the age of four, loves Salman Khan.
But unlike most fans of these two superstars, Pari and Chotu don't fight like arch rivals.
Their innocent brother-sister bonding is far bigger than their love for these two stars. Pari and Chotu live with their chacha (Vipin Sharma) and chachi (Gulfam Khan) in a quaint little village in Rajasthan.
While their chacha is a loving man who often takes them to watch movies, their chachi isn't quite fond of them. Despite all the hardships, the kids are full of life and enjoy each other's company the most.
Pari's aim in life is to help Chotu get his eyesight back before his ninth birthday.
When she sees her favourite star Shah Rukh on a poster of eye donation campaign, Pari writes a letter to him, hoping he will help her fulfill her dream.
But when nothing happens, Pari decides to do something on her own. That's when these two siblings set out on the journey of a lifetime during which they meet new people and experience all kinds of emotions.
Do watch the film because if you don't, you will miss out on something extraordinary.
Apart from exploring human relationships, Kukunoor has captured the deserts of Rajasthan breathtakingly. Dhanak will also make you fall in love with Rajasthani folk songs.
Hetal Gada and Krrish Chhabria deliver terrific performances. Their innocence, and their maturity, will warm your hearts.
Nothing has been done overtly and all the characters lend good support to the story.
From cinematography to performances to music, everything syncs in perfectly and quite effortlessly.
However, the second half did seem a bit slow in comparison to the first. Also, the back story of how Chotu loses his eyesight is hard to understand. The makers could have worked more in that area.
But these elements do not hamper the flow of the story or its magic.
To have a movie revolve around just two characters is hard but Kukunoor does it and how! He proves yet again why he is a filmmaker to reckon with.
In the recent years, I can't remember watching a film with a big smile on my face throughout. You'll probably feel the same after watching Dhanak.
Rediff Rating: 