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Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki Excels on OTT: Release Date Unveiled!

Shah Rukh Khan Dunki Featured Image

In Short

Shah Rukh Khan starrer Dunki is directed by Rajkumar Hirani

Now streaming on OTT platforms. Curious about where and when to catch it? Discover all you need to know here!

Shah Rukh Khan Dunki Poster

Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki on OTT

Helmed by Rajkumar Hirani, initially hit theaters on December 21, 2023, garnering considerable success with a global box office collection of ₹454 crore, as reported by Sacnilk.com. While earlier slated for its digital premiere on JioCinema, recent updates reveal Dunki’s availability on an alternate OTT platform for streaming.

Netflix debuts Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki

Netflix India took to Instagram on Wednesday to unveil the OTT release of Dunki, starring Shah Rukh Khan, with a captivating poster. The caption teased, “Pack your bags! After a whirlwind Dunki journey worldwide, @iamsrk is coming home… Dunki, now streaming on Netflix!” Audiences were treated to Dunki’s OTT premiere on Netflix this Valentine’s Day in 2024.

Shah Rukh Khan and Raj Kumar Hirani

Dunki marked the collaboration between SRK and Hirani and was Shah Rukh’s third film release of 2023. Preceding Dunki were Pathaan and Jawan, both exceeding the ₹1,000 crore mark worldwide. There were high expectations for Dunki to match or surpass the success of these two films, but it fell short, achieving less than half the success of SRK’s previous ventures.

Shah Rukh Khan had previously mentioned that his three films in 2023 were chosen to enrich his ‘Tan Man Dhan (Body Mind Soul)’. Pathaan demanded physical transformation, Jawan engaged his intellect, while Dunki was meant to satisfy his soul.

Despite not meeting expectations, Dunki managed to achieve commercial success, grossing ₹272 crore in India and an impressive ₹182 crore overseas, totaling ₹454 crore worldwide. Dunki secured its place among Bollywood’s top-grossers in 2023, claiming the sixth spot for the year.

It surpassed films like OMG 2 (₹221.75 crore), Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar (₹223 crore), The Kerala Story (₹302 crore), Adipurush (₹350 crore), and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (₹355.61 crore).

Dunki’s Box Office Performance Compared to Tiger 3

Dunki fell short of surpassing Tiger 3, which grossed ₹464 crore, thus preventing it from entering the Top-5 club alongside Jawan, Pathaan, Animal, and Gadar 2. However, according to Red Chillies Entertainment, Dunki managed to exceed ₹470 crore in box office earnings.

Dunki is all about: Immigration and Collaboration

The narrative of Dunki delves into the intricate issue of immigration, shedding light on the challenges and risks individuals undertake in pursuit of a better life. The title itself, derived from the term ‘donkey journey’, symbolizes the arduous and perilous routes people traverse globally to reach their desired destinations.

Through Dunki, the Shah Rukh Khan-led film endeavors to portray the struggles and aspirations intertwined with the immigrant experience. Alongside Khan, the movie features a stellar cast including Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani, Anil Grover, and Vikram Kochhar, each contributing to the nuanced portrayal of this pertinent social theme.

For Shah Rukh Khan, Dunki served as his final cinematic offering of 2023, following the resounding successes of Pathaan and Jawan. Speaking on the collaborative experience with Khan, director Rajkumar Hirani expressed his enthusiasm in a recent interview with ANI. He highlighted the significance of weaving a meaningful narrative, emphasizing Khan’s keen interest in the storyline from the outset.

Beyond the realm of action-packed roles, Khan sought to explore new horizons as an actor, a sentiment echoed by Hirani. The collaboration between the two stalwarts not only fulfilled a longstanding desire for Hirani but also resulted in a fulfilling and enjoyable creative journey, as expressed by the director.

Dunki and Salaar: A Clash of Releases

Amidst mixed reviews from both audiences and critics, Dunki found itself in direct competition with Prabhas’ blockbuster Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire. The clash between the two films intensified as Salaar’s Hindi version premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on February 16th. Originally filmed in Telugu, Salaar was also distributed to theaters in Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, and Tamil languages. While the non-Hindi versions had previously premiered on Netflix the month prior, the Hindi rendition’s release further fueled the clash between Dunki and Salaar.