Quick Verdict
Ever since I watched the first Dhamaal, this franchise has always had a different place in my mind. It isn't the kind of movie you watch for logic or deep storytelling. You watch it because you know you'll get confused characters, ridiculous situations and a lot of comedy. That's what Dhamaal has always been about, and honestly, that's exactly what I expected before walking into the theatre for Dhamaal 4.
I didn't go alone. My entire family came along because we usually watch comedy films together.
We reached around twenty minutes before the show, thinking we'd have enough time to settle in. Instead, the lobby was already crowded. By the time we entered the auditorium, almost every seat around us had been filled. It didn't feel like an ordinary movie show—it felt like people had genuinely been waiting for this film.
This time, the basic idea of the franchise hasn't changed, but the scale of the comedy definitely has. The makers have taken the same madness and made it much bigger. A lot of the credit goes to Ajay Devgn and the rest of the cast, whose performances keep the energy alive throughout the film. There are more comedy situations, bigger action sequences, and several moments that are clearly designed to make the audience laugh.
Even before the release, many behind-the-scenes videos from the shoot had gone viral on Instagram and other social media platforms.
The moment Ajay Devgn appeared on screen, someone sitting a few rows behind us shouted his name. A few people started clapping, others whistled, and suddenly the energy inside the theatre completely changed. That excitement stayed there for almost the entire movie.
The basic idea of the story still revolves around finding hidden treasure, something that fans of the franchise will instantly recognise. Instead of changing everything, the makers have taken the same concept and made it much bigger this time. The locations are larger, the action is bigger, and the situations become even crazier than before.
One misunderstanding involving the letters "W" and "M" becomes one of the funniest running jokes in the film. It's such a small mistake, but it creates complete confusion for everyone involved. That's actually what I like about Dhamaal. The comedy doesn't always come from dialogues; sometimes it comes from the stupidest misunderstandings imaginable.
Compared to the earlier movies, this one definitely looks richer. The jungle locations look beautiful on the big screen, and there are several wide camera shots that make the movie feel much larger than the previous parts. You can tell the makers spent more money this time. I'm not saying every visual effect is perfect—there are still a few places where the CGI looks noticeable—but for a comedy film, I never found it distracting.
The performances are where the film really starts working.
For me, Riteish Deshmukh and Sanjay Mishra walked away with most of the laughs. There were scenes where they didn't even have to deliver a punchline. Their expressions, body language and reactions were enough to make people laugh. Sometimes the funniest part of a scene wasn't the dialogue—it was simply the way they looked at each other.
Ajay Devgn plays Guddu with the same straight-faced attitude that has always suited him. That contrast creates its own comedy. Watching him stay serious in completely ridiculous situations actually became funnier than many of the written jokes.
Whenever Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh and Sanjay Mishra shared the screen together, I knew something silly was about to happen. They don't look like actors trying hard to make people laugh. They look like three people who genuinely enjoy irritating each other, and that chemistry makes a big difference.
One thing I appreciated was that the movie never tried to become something else halfway through. It didn't suddenly become emotional or try to teach a life lesson. It knew exactly what kind of film it wanted to be from the first scene itself—a loud, over-the-top comedy—and it stayed committed to that till the end.
Of course, saying that doesn't mean everything worked perfectly.
After the movie ended, we spent some time outside the theatre talking to people who had just watched the same show. Everyone had something different to say.
One uncle laughed and told us it reminded him of the older Dhamaal movies.
A group of college students said they had enjoyed the second half more than the first.
One family standing next to us said it was the most fun they had together in weeks.
But not everyone felt the same.
A few viewers believed that certain scenes went on longer than they should have. Another person said Ajay Devgn looked a little less energetic than he remembered from some of his earlier comedy films.
Listening to everyone made me think about my own experience.
To be honest, I could understand both sides.
Those extra few seconds weren't always necessary.
I also noticed one or two places where the lip-sync felt slightly off, and a couple of reactions looked a bit exaggerated. These aren't huge problems, but if you're paying attention, you'll probably notice them too.
Then again, comedy is probably the hardest genre to judge.
With an action movie, people talk about the fight scenes.
With a horror movie, everyone remembers the scary moments.
With a romantic movie, people remember the emotions.
Comedy doesn't work like that.
A joke that makes one person laugh out loud might not even make someone else smile.
Even after hearing different opinions, I walked out smiling.
Not because the movie was perfect.
But because it did what I expected it to do.
It entertained me for almost three hours, and sometimes that's more than enough.
While coming back home after watching Dhamaal 4, one thing kept running through my mind. These days people don't compare Bollywood only with Hollywood anymore. The competition has become much bigger. Today we watch Korean dramas, Hollywood films, Japanese anime, Spanish web series and content from almost every country. Because of OTT platforms, people have so many choices now that every movie is automatically compared with the best content available around the world.
Some of the content that Indian audiences enjoy the most today includes:
Hollywood Action Movies
Korean Movies
Korean Dramas (K-Dramas)
American TV Series
International OTT Originals
When you watch all these back-to-back, you naturally start comparing filmmaking styles. Hollywood is known for its action and visual effects.
Movies like RRR, Baahubali, Baahubali 2, KGF, Kantara, Pushpa, Kalki 2898 AD and many others have shown the world that Indian filmmakers are capable of making world-class cinema. Earlier, people used to think only Hollywood could make grand films. Today that thinking has changed completely.
Instead of dividing our cinema into Bollywood, Tollywood, Kollywood, Sandalwood or Mollywood, I think we should simply call it Indian Cinema.