Dunki SRK’s lowest-budget film in 6 years, in profit zone even before release

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming movie Dunki, which also stars Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal, has been made on a reported budget of a mere Rs 85 crore.

As per media reports, this makes Dunki SRK’s lowest-budget film in the last seven years, including Jab Harry Met Sejal, made on a budget of Rs 90 crore, Raees, on Rs 90-95 crore, Zero, on a massive budget of Rs 200 crore, Pathaan made for Rs 240 crore and the most recent Jawan for Rs 300 crore.

However, it should be noted that the reported figure of Rs 85 crore doesn’t include the talent cost.

A media report states that the film's director Rajkumar Hirani is a cautious spender, and wrapped up the shoot in 75 days, of which SRK shot for 60 days. This pulls up Dunki in the profit zone even before its release.

SRK shuttled between the sets of his last production Jawan and Dunki and spent more time on the sets of Jawan, given its longer schedule.

It would appear that Hirani retro-fitted the schedule of Dunki as per SRK’s availability. Jawan, which released on 7 September, has become the fifth highest-grossing Indian film, and the highest-earning Hindi film of all time, with reported collections to the tune of Rs 1,150 crore, as per industry tracker Sacnilk.

As for Dunki, the film is set for a Christmas release, and will clash with the Prabhas-starrer Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire.

The much-anticipated film dropped its new single Lutt Putt Gaya on Wednesday as 'drop-2', featuring SRK as a hopeless romantic going footloose for Taapsee Pannu in a groove-laden Punjabi dance track.

Sung by Arijit Singh, who almost sounds like Mika Singh at times, it is a all-guns-blazing, typical film song, which really is perfect for dance as well as romance, even if one-sided.

Composed by Pritam, Lutt Putt Gaya features all the essence of a Bollywood song in full Punjabi style, fusing bhangra, film music, and some pop.

The video is mainly SRK dreaming up a whole filmi style dance, where he goes footloose, dancing on the streets as he walks with Taapsee and says how she has stolen his heart.