Premium'Don't expect Dunki to open like Jawan,' What Shah Rukh Khan told Rajkumar Hirani about their film
Shah Rukh Khan's Dunki hasn't performed as well as his previous films, Jawan and Pathaan. The film's opening day box office collection was Rs 29 crore.
Rajkumar Hirani and Shah Rukh Khan. (Courtesy - Red Chillies Entertainment)
Last Updated: 08.03 PM, Jan 01, 2024
Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki was Shah Rukh Khan's third theatrical release of 2023. The superstar delivered two blockbuster movies, Pathaan and Jawan, last year. However, Dunki hasn't been able to perform as well as SRK's previous two movies. The Rajkumar Hirani directorial got an opening of Rs 29 crore at the box office, which is less compared to Pathaan and Jawan. However, Shah Rukh Khan knew that Dunki wouldn't open like Jawan and that's exactly what he told the filmmaker.
Rajkumar Hirani recalls Shah Rukh Khan's words
In an interview with DNA, Rajkumar Hirani shared what Shah Rukh Khan told him about Dunki's fate at the box office. "Throughout the journey, he kept telling me that don’t expect this to open like Jawan. It will not. He said I have done these films before so we should be realistic. There will be a different audience for this kind of film, which is exactly how it happened," revealed Hirani.
The filmmaker mentioned that he finds SRK brave enough to be able to do Dunki. He also stated that one should be fearless and believe in the stories that he/ she wants to tell. For the uninitiated, SRK and Rajkumar's Dunki is based on illegal border crossings via a 'donkey route'. The story revolves around a soldier who helps four friends reach their favourite destination England without a passport or VISA.
Besides Shah Rukh, Dunki features Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, and Boman Irani in pivotal roles. The movie, which hit the big screen on December 21 (2023), clashed with Prabhas' Salaar at the box office.
Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming project
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan is expected to begin working on Tiger vs Pathaan soon. However, an official announcement from the makers is awaited. The film will mark SRK's big-screen reunion with Salman Khan after Yash Raj Films' Tiger 3, which was released on Diwali 2023. Both superstars will reprise their roles from the YRF spy universe.