Leading the antics once more is Ajay Devgn, fully embracing his comedic side. He’ll be joined by familiar faces Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaaferi, and Sanjay Mishra, ensuring a guaranteed laugh fest.

The cast is expanding even further with the addition of Sanjeeda Shaikh, Anjali Anand, Upendra Limaye, Vijay Patkar, and Ravi Kishan. With such a star-studded ensemble, expect plenty of laughs!

Director Indra Kumar, who has guided the previous films in the series, is back at the helm, supported by a talented production team. Industry heavyweights like Ajay Devgn, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Ashok Thakeria, Anand Pandit, and Kumar Mangat Pathak are all on board. The film is a collaboration between Gulshan Kumar and T-Series, alongside Devgn Films, Maruti International, and Panorama Studios.

Filming is already in progress, with a major schedule having wrapped up at the picturesque Malshej Ghat, known for its stunning visuals. The cast and crew are currently shooting in Mumbai.

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While specific plot details are under wraps, fans can anticipate a treasure hunt filled with mistaken identities and comical adventures. Expect car chases, flying wallets, fake maps, and perhaps even a classic pratfall into a manhole!

Jaaved Jaaferi has previously teased this installment, expressing his excitement for the project. “They’re coming up with a fourth one,” he shared in an interview. “We’re going to start shooting sometime early next year.” With filming now in full swing, the madness has officially kicked off.

For those unfamiliar with the series, the ‘Dhamaal’ saga began in 2007, featuring a quirky group of friends in search of hidden treasure. Its blend of slapstick humor, quirky dialogue, and lovable characters quickly turned it into a cult classic, leading to two sequels: ‘Double Dhamaal’ (2011) and ‘Total Dhamaal’ (2019), which also featured stars like Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor.

In a refreshingly laid-back Instagram Story, Billie humorously addressed the speculation surrounding her “appearance” at the iconic fashion event. Spoiler alert: she wasn’t there.

“I wasn’t there. That’s AI,” she said casually, holding an ice cream cone and clearly enjoying the absurdity of it all. “I had a show in Europe that night. Just let me be! I wasn’t even there!”

The 22-year-old singer was performing in Amsterdam as part of her ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ world tour while the fashion elite convened in New York on May 5. The only stage she graced that night was at her concert.

Yet, social media erupted with discussions about her so-called red carpet outfit — one she never wore. “Seeing people talk about what I wore to this year’s Met Gala being trash… I wasn’t even there!” Billie expressed, exasperated that critics were evaluating an AI-generated look as if it were real.

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Billie isn’t alone in this situation. Pop star Katy Perry also had to clarify rumors about her supposed “Met Gala look,” sharing, “Couldn’t make it to the MET,” along with a series of AI-generated images of her in extravagant gowns. Like Billie, Katy was tied up with her own tour and far from the event.

The emergence of disturbingly lifelike AI images is increasingly blurring the line between reality and fabrication, forcing celebrities like Billie and Katy to publicly deny attendance at events they never went to. It’s an odd new chapter in celebrity culture, where AI can conjure fanciful appearances and ignite debates — all without consent.

This year’s Met Gala theme was ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,’ celebrating the art of dandyism and its evolution in Black fashion from the 18th century to the present. The official dress code, “Tailored for You,” encouraged attendees to embrace personalized suiting and sharp lines.

Had Billie actually attended, she undoubtedly would have rocked one of her signature, boundary-pushing outfits. Instead, the internet created one for her — without permission — and still found reasons to criticize it.

This
unorthodox yet deeply insightful examination of youthful discontent, previously touched upon in films like N. Chandra’s
Ankush
, Rahul Rawail’s
Arjun
, and Goldie Behl’s
Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai
—with Dhulia’s involvement—starts with a college event where the principal gives a speech while rival gangs clash in the corridors.

The film sets a frenetic mood early on.
The contrasting elements of ideology and violence, particularly the overwhelming prevalence of the latter alongside the obliteration of core values, serve as significant thematic pillars in Dhulia’s storytelling.
Unlike many contemporary directors, Dhulia skillfully commands the camera, capturing the audience’s attention without resorting to fleeting shots. Following protagonist Annirudh’s (played brilliantly by Jimmy Shergill) path of despair, we witness an array of cinematic techniques woven into the intense storyline.
The narrative skillfully avoids predictable traps, effectively engaging the audience. Dhulia’s depiction of the gritty city and campus is so authentic that it deserves commendation for shooting on location in North India, where actors seamlessly blend into the environment without self-consciousness. The camera often captures onlookers’ intrigued faces, but the emphasis on genuine settings outweighs the unsettling stares from the dusty streets and turbulent campuses of Allahabad.
It’s a pity cinematographer Rafey Mehmood overuses shades of orange and blue, particularly in the romantic sequences, as the camera feels detached from the authentic narrative, almost reminding us to remain aloof from Dhulia’s raw storytelling.
Fortunately, the characters retain their authenticity even when the director escalates the story to a climactic showdown filmed live during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. In the film’s final moments, as Shergill’s character displays heroic resolve in a confrontation with the antagonist (Irrfan Khan), Dhulia adeptly shifts the tone into a familiar action format.
While the rest of the film unfolds at a more relaxed pace, the last thirty minutes rush towards a climax.
Dhulia embodies a dynamic quality often missing in emerging directors who either overemphasize or underplay narrative structure for commercial viability. His gritty storyline goes all out, and despite a disposable Qawwali, the scenes where the lovers hide in a mosque’s compound bravely touch on the nuanced politics of communalism while retaining an idealistic core.
Haasil attempts to dismantle several myths surrounding commercial cinema. Dhulia neither underestimates the audience’s intelligence nor shies away from pushing the limits of entertainment.
Without compromising his raw and powerful vision, Dhulia keeps us engaged and questioning why we endure so much superficiality in the name of escapist entertainment.
Although a brilliant dialogue writer, Dhulia excels in capturing silent moments. In the romantic sequences, it’s the lovers’ eyes that draw our focus, overshadowing the lyrics.
For instance, when criminal student-leader Ranvijay Singh (Irrfan Khan) threatens to force Niharika’s mother (Navnee Parihar) onto the wedding altar upon her elopement with Annirudh, the shock is sudden and visceral, prompting a visceral response. Dhulia explores pressing social issues such as caste violence and communalism—topics often sidestepped by mainstream cinema—and has thus created a new cinematic language in Hindi film, where spoken and unspoken words coexist in a tapestry of conflicting yet harmonious ideas.
While profoundly engaged with social issues, Dhulia doesn’t lose his sense of humor. A scene in a cinema hall, where Ranvir Singh and his goons compare “sophisticated” underworld violence in Mumbai with its crude rendition in their region, is a biting satire.
It’s hard to envision the film without its ensemble cast, each actor, big or small, blends into the tense atmosphere. Trained performers like Ashutosh Rana and Murad Ali (son of filmmaker Muzaffar Ali) contribute a distinctive flavor to their roles.
Jimmy Shergill shines as he portrays his character’s evolution from a rebellious son (his scenes with father Tinnu Anand feel so authentic they suggest autobiographical elements) to a corrupted accomplice of a criminal youth leader, ultimately emerging as a redeemed citizen.
Irrfan Khan is, in a word, outstanding, embodying student leader Ranvijay Singh, unapologetic in his sociopathic actions and adhering to a self-formed ideology.
Special mention goes to Abhishek Ray’s background score, which innovatively links characters with their thoughts and actions.
Haasil is a remarkable piece of art brimming with thoughts that resonate profoundly with our lives. Achieving a delicate balance between “cinema” and social commentary is no small feat.
This isn’t a film for the faint-hearted; it’s been a long time since a film addressing our nation’s descent into turmoil conveyed the creator’s anguish without overwhelming the audience with the stench of corruption.
Views expressed are personal.