Plot and Premise
Dhamaal 4, directed by Indra Kumar, continues the franchise's tradition of madcap comedy centered on a treasure hunt. This time, the characters pursue Shaitain Singh Ka Khazana, with Ravi Kishan playing a pirate named Adhura who holds Prithvi (Upendra Limaye) hostage—the only man who can decode the map. Ajay Devgn's character Guddu arrives on the ship, setting off a roller-coaster of absurd events.
Cast and Performances
The star-studded cast includes Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaaferi, Ravi Kishan, Sanjay Mishra, Upendra Limaye, Anjali Anand, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Esha Gupta, Vijay Patkar, Akshara Padwal, Riyansh Dabhi, and Brijendra Kala. While the leads possess impeccable comic timing, it is the supporting actors—especially Jaaved Jaaferi and Sanjay Mishra—who shine. Jaaved's delivery of the line "Adi, you are so smart" remains a delight. Sanjay Mishra gets the lion's share of wisecracks, such as "Hum safar mein nahin, suffering mein hain" and "bhooton ki Burj Khalifa."
Humor and Writing
The film offers laugh-out-loud moments but also feels laborious in parts. The dialogue, penned by Balvinder Singh Suri, Paritosh Painter, and Vedd Prakash, leaves no room for plausibility but includes pointed and clever jibes. The first half moves at breakneck speed, leaving little time to pause. However, the CGI-generated encounters with a tiger and an octopus are tacky and tiresome.
Social Commentary and References
Anjali Anand's character Paro gets enough weightage among the male-dominated cast. Fat-shaming jokes abound initially, but the director arrives at a socially-correct climax. Indra Kumar tips his hat to Ajay Devgn's earlier films, with references to 'Phool Aur Kaante' and 'Singham,' and also pats his own back when Riteish refers to a rainbow as 'Indra Kumar.' The film explicitly calls itself a family film, and emotional heft works surprisingly well, though the use of Hanuman Chalisa at a key juncture feels odd.
Overall Verdict
Dhamaal 4 keeps the humor mills churning from the same yarn, spinning a fair dose of slapstick entertainment. It is logic-less but not entirely humorless. The narrative crumbles like a house of cards yet finds its feet, though a perfect landing is never achieved. For fans of the franchise, it won't disappoint outright.
