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The Dhamaal franchise has always thrived on loud, unapologetic comedy, quirky characters, and absolute chaos. Dhamaal 4 attempts to retain that winning formula by taking audiences on a treasure hunt through caves, jungles, temples and unexpected adventures. While the film succeeds in delivering a few genuinely entertaining moments, it never fully unlocks its comic potential, resulting in a family entertainer that is enjoyable in parts but ultimately settles for being average.
At its core, Dhamaal 4 is a harmless, light-hearted film designed for a family audience. It offers enough laughs to keep viewers engaged, but one can’t help feeling that the screenplay leaves plenty of opportunities unexplored. The jokes often lack the sharpness and consistency that made the earlier films memorable, and the narrative frequently struggles with pacing, preventing the comedy from gathering sustained momentum.
The biggest strength of the film is undoubtedly Riteish Deshmukh. He is in outstanding form and effortlessly emerges as the film’s biggest entertainer. His impeccable comic timing elevates several scenes that might otherwise have fallen flat. Whether it’s his hilarious interactions inside a temple, the delightful encounter with Brijendra Kala inside a house, or his scenes with Shweta Sharda, Riteish consistently delivers laughs with remarkable ease. More importantly, he owns the climax, giving the film one of its strongest stretches and ensuring that his character enjoys the most satisfying arc in the narrative.
Matching him every step of the way is Sanjeeda Shaikh, who once again proves why she remains one of the industry’s most underrated performers. She brings an effortless charm and natural screen presence to the film, seamlessly moving between comedy, emotional moments and suspense-driven sequences without ever appearing forced. Her introductory sequence immediately establishes her confidence, while her scenes with Arshad Warsi generate some of the film’s most effective humour. Beyond the laughs, she also lends emotional credibility whenever the screenplay demands it, making her one of the film’s biggest assets. Her performance is graceful, confident and refreshingly organic.
Surprisingly, the film doesn’t utilise Ajay Devgn to the extent one would expect. Despite being the biggest star in the ensemble, his character often feels more like an extended supporting role than the central driving force of the story. His trademark deadpan comic timing, which has worked brilliantly in several comedies over the years, remains largely underused. Even his moments in the climax fail to create the desired impact. An underwater sequence involving dolphins, which should have been visually exciting, suffers considerably because of weak visual effects, reducing what could have been one of the film’s standout moments.
Among the supporting cast, Arshad Warsi delivers an adequate performance while Javed Jaffrey continues to be immensely likeable with his trademark innocence and comic flair. Ravi Kishan, however, doesn’t quite leave a lasting impression, with several of his scenes feeling unnecessarily prolonged. The film also relies on body-weight jokes involving Anjali Anand’s character, and these repetitive gags rarely land, coming across as outdated rather than genuinely funny.
Technically, Dhamaal 4 is inconsistent. Several visual effects sequences involving animals look artificial and fail to blend naturally with the live-action portions of the film. A tiger sequence, in particular, suffers because of obvious CGI, making it difficult to become invested in the action. The horror-inspired segment also feels like a missed opportunity. It hints at creating an entertaining mix of comedy and horror but never fully commits to either, resulting in a sequence that feels surprisingly ordinary.
The screenplay also loses momentum during the second half. The extended human-chain sequence stretches far beyond its welcome, affecting the film’s rhythm. Several scenes could have benefited from tighter editing, sharper writing and more inventive comic situations.
Despite these shortcomings, Dhamaal 4 remains a reasonably entertaining watch for audiences looking for uncomplicated family entertainment. It doesn’t consistently deliver laugh-out-loud comedy, nor does it match the franchise’s finest moments, but it offers enough enjoyable sequences to keep viewers engaged.
Ultimately, Dhamaal 4 belongs to Riteish Deshmukh and Sanjeeda Shaikh. Their performances inject life, energy and humour into a film that often struggles to find its footing. While the treasure hunt provides the backdrop, it is this duo that truly becomes the film’s biggest treasure.
Rating: 2.5/5
