Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jul 11: Director Indra Kumar's Dhamaal 4 has received a poor critical response, with the latest instalment of the long-running comedy franchise being criticised for its outdated humour, weak storytelling and excessive reliance on computer-generated visual effects.
Awarded one out of five stars, the film has been described as a repetitive treasure-hunt adventure that fails to recreate the humour of its predecessors.
The Dhamaal franchise began in 2007 with Dhamaal, featuring Sanjay Dutt alongside Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaaferi and Riteish Deshmukh. It was followed by Double Dhamaal and Total Dhamaal, both continuing the series' trademark slapstick comedy.
In Dhamaal 4, Indra Kumar blends elements inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones, with the story revolving around another search for hidden treasure.
Ajay Devgn leads the cast, while franchise regulars Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaaferi and Sanjay Mishra reprise their familiar comic roles. Ravi Kishan joins the series as a pirate-inspired character, drawing comparisons with Jack Sparrow.
The review notes that Devgn handles the action sequences, while Warsi and Jaaferi revisit their well-established on-screen camaraderie. Mishra continues his comic style, while Kishan's performance stands out as one of the few engaging elements in the film.
The film has also been criticised for using Anjali Anand's body size as a recurring source of humour. Although the narrative later attempts to soften its treatment of the character, the review describes the approach as an unconvincing effort to offset repeated fat-shaming jokes.
Apart from the humour, the film has been faulted for its overuse of CGI, with digitally created tigers, crocodiles, cliffs and other visual effects dominating several sequences.
The review concludes that while the film may appeal to audiences who enjoy the franchise's brand of slapstick comedy, it offers little freshness or innovation and ultimately struggles to deliver consistent laughs.
Dhamaal 4 features Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh, Sanjay Mishra, Ravi Kishan, Jaaved Jaaferi, Upendra Limaye, Esha Gupta, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Anjali Anand in key roles. It is directed by Indra Kumar.