Dhamaal 4 Review
Back in 2007, the original Dhamaal was a breath of fresh air. The situational comedy and the iconic treasure hunt chase hit all the right notes, making it a film I watched countless times. Fast forward through the sequels—Double Dhamaal, Total Dhamaal, and now Dhamaal 4 (with Dhamaal 5 inevitably on the horizon)—and a glaringly obvious pattern emerges. While the leads or the supporting cast might shuffle, the core packaging remains identical: a frantic chase for hidden money. Whether the treasure is buried under a ‘W’ or an ‘M’, the gimmick has run its course.
The “Brain Rot” Formula
The biggest advantage of “brain rot” comedies is that the director doesn’t have to overthink the plot. However, when you drag the audience down the exact same road time and time again, they memorize the route—and the journey entirely loses its fun.
Arriving in 2026 as the year’s second multi-starrer brain-rot flick after Welcome to the Jungle, the only real compliment I can offer Dhamaal 4 is that its storyline is slightly better than the latter. But make no mistake, the narrative follows the exact same blueprint as parts 1, 2, and 3. Only the map to the treasure changes; the climax stays predictably preachy, where nobody gets the cash, just a moral life lesson.
Recycled Punches and Missed Opportunities
Even if I try to accept the storyline as somewhat meaningful, the humor is a tough pill to swallow. The dialogues are written a bit better this time around, yet a staggering 70% of the comedic punches completely fail to land. Half of the jokes feel recycled from earlier eras, and the rest just miss the mark entirely.
The worst part about all of this? This film is carried on the shoulders of veteran actors who have delivered genuinely sensible and brilliant comedy for the past three decades. Seeing their talents squandered here is disappointing.
Cast and Performances
Adi & Manav: The sole redeeming factor of the movie was the return of these iconic characters. However, this really needs to be their swan song. Watching two 50-plus-year-old men pull off childish stupidity has severely lost its charm. The producers desperately need to rip out a brand-new cast for Dhamaal 5. Unfortunately, they likely won’t. The Indian box office easily accepts fresh faces in romantic flicks, but rarely in established comedy franchises.
Ajay Devgn & Sanjay Mishra: Their comedic chemistry completely failed to work this time. Their “ghost sequence” stands out as the absolute stupidest filler in the entire movie.
Esha Gupta: A completely forced addition and a total waste of a character.
Sanjeeda Sheikh: She struggled to match Arshad Warsi’s comedic timing and energy.
Anjali Anand: On a positive note, she fit the bill perfectly opposite Riteish Deshmukh, bringing a refreshing naturalness to her role and mannerisms.
The Final Verdict
Ultimately, if you are a 10-to-12-year-old kid or someone who has magically never seen a Dhamaal movie before, you might actually have a great time at the theaters. But if you appreciate jokes that actually land, or if you’ve seen any of the previous installments in this franchise, Dhamaal 4 is a massive skip.
Rating: 1/5 Stars (Given purely for the love of the original franchise).
