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Dhamaal 4 Review: Same Treasure Hunt, Same Chaos, But the Laughs Are Missing

The biggest challenge facing Bollywood today is that audiences have evolved, but some filmmakers continue to rely on outdated formulas. Recycling old franchises, repetitive storylines, and worn-out comedy routines is no longer enough to draw crowds to theatres. Unfortunately, director Indra Kumar takes exactly that route with Dhamaal 4. The film once again revolves around a treasure hunt, reunites familiar characters, and follows the same slapstick formula that made the original franchise popular. The only thing missing this time is genuine laughter. Ironically, the film even includes a joke calling Indra Kumar a colourful filmmaker, but the same cannot be said about his latest outing, which feels surprisingly dull and uninspired. The Story: Another Treasure Hunt, Another Race The story revolves around a mysterious treasure worth Rs.50 crore, allegedly hidden beneath a location marked with the letter 'M'. A familiar group of quirky charactersincluding Guddu (Ajay Devgn), Johnny (Sanjay Mishra), Deshbandhu (Riteish Deshmukh), Paro (Anjali Anand), Adi (Arshad Warsi), Manav (Javed Jaffrey), and Adhura (Ravi Kishan)joins the race to find the hidden fortune. What follows is a long chain of chases, accidents, misunderstandings, and over-the-top situations. From hanging off mountains and falling into valleys to escaping lions, snakes, crocodiles, octopuses, haunted encounters, burning hot-air balloons, and stormy boat rides, the film throws every imaginable obstacle at its characters. The problem is that while the situations are designed to generate laughs, most of them simply don't. Comedy Without the Fun The biggest disappointment is the screenplay. Rather than creating naturally funny moments, the film feels like a collection of disconnected comedy sketches stitched together around a weak plot. Nearly every major comic sequence overstays its welcome, draining whatever humour it initially offers. Many jokes rely on mocking physical appearances, speech disorders, or body typescomic devices that now feel outdated rather than entertaining. The dialogues lack punch, and very few moments leave a lasting impression. To the film's credit, it avoids vulgar humour, but merely staying clean isn't enough to make a comedy successful. Weak Writing Holds the Film Back Comedy depends heavily on timing, and Dhamaal 4 struggles in this department. Several scenes, especially one involving half the cast hanging from a mountainside, are stretched far beyond their natural limit, causing the humour to disappear. Indra Kumar has directed successful comedies in the past, but those films were backed by sharp writing. Here, the screenplay emerges as the weakest link. Visuals Fail to Impress Technically, the film remains average. Heavy use of green screens and visual effects often looks artificial, making many action sequences feel unconvincing. The cinematography is serviceable but doesn't add any visual flair that elevates the overall experience. Performances Can't Save the Film Ajay Devgn leads the cast but never truly commands the screen as the central hero. His performance remains largely routine. Arshad Warsi and Javed Jaffrey revisit their iconic characters, but the freshness that once made them so entertaining is missing. Riteish Deshmukh and Ravi Kishan appear overly loud in several scenes, while talented actors like Sanjay Mishra and Upendra Limaye are underutilised. The female characters, played by Esha Gupta, Sanjeeda Shaikh, and Anjali Anand, are given very little to do and leave minimal impact on the story. ALSO READ: Alpha Review: Strong First Half, Weak Finish Alia Bhatt's Spy Thriller Delivers Action but Loses Momentum Forgettable Music The soundtrack fails to make an impression despite featuring multiple composers and lyricists. There isn't a single song that lingers in memory after the credits roll. Verdict: A Franchise Running Out of Steam Instead of taking the Dhamaal franchise forward, Dhamaal 4 feels like a step backward. The familiar treasure hunt, repetitive slapstick comedy, and recycled character dynamics no longer generate the excitement they once did. Successful franchises survive by reinventing themselves. Simply repeating the same formula eventually leads to fatigue, and Dhamaal 4 is a clear example of that. Fans of the earlier films may enjoy moments of nostalgia, but for most viewers, this latest installment offers little beyond recycled chaos and missed opportunities. Rating: 1.5/5 star

10 Jul 2026 3:30 pm