Total Dhamaal

Total Dhamaal is a 2019 Indian comedy film directed by Indra Kumar. It is the third installment in the Dhamaal film series, bringing back some characters from the previous films and adding several new prominent faces. The movie boasts an ensemble star cast featuring some of the top comedic talents in Action film. It promised to provide a healthy dose of madcap humor and zany adventures, living up to the legacy of the Dhamaal franchise.

The Gem Actors of Total Dhamaal

Every Dhamaal movie is laced with endless comedy, and the credit goes to lead stars and supporting actors. Total Dhamaal film is no different; this movie has a marvelous cast for you to watch. Here are the lead actors, both new and old, as well as some of the new faces to newly join the Dhamaal franchise:

The Comedic Superstars

The cast of Total Dhamaal is led by Anil Kapoor, a shrewd businessman looking to divorce his wife. Kapoor is known for his impeccable comic timing and brings eccentric energy to his role. Joining him is the effortlessly funny Riteish Deshmukh, reprising his role as a greedy fireman from the previous Dhamaal films. His knack for physical comedy and deadpan dialogue delivery promises more laughs. Another veteran, Arshad Warsi, also returns as the straight man to balance out the wackiness. And then there is Javed Jaffrey, whose manic unpredictability makes him a riot to watch. These four form the crux of the comedy in Total Dhamaal.

The New Additions

Adding to the comedy firepower are Ajay Devgn as a petty thief, Madhuri Dixit as Kapoor’s frustrated wife, and Esha Gupta in an appearance as an animal caretaker. Devgn’s gravitas and subtle humor make for an exciting contrast. Dixit showcases her flair for comedy, which fans don’t often see. And Gupta spices things up with her trademark charm. Johnny Lever, Sanjay Mishra, Boman Irani, and Vijay Patkar play supporting roles, each bringing unique comedic styles. Even Sonakshi Sinha does an item number, rounding up the film’s funny bones.

A complete walkthrough of Total Dhamaal

The movie is a roller coaster of fun and emotions, and various parts make this movie worth watching. Here’s the whole storyline of this movie:

Setting Things Up

The plot kicks off with Guddu (Devgn) and Johnny (Mishra) pulling off a daring heist to steal 500 million rupees from the police commissioner (Irani). But they are double-crossed by their partner Pintu (Manoj Pahwa), who drives off with the money. Meanwhile, we are introduced to several other eccentric characters – Avinash (Kapoor) and Bindu (Dixit) who are a bickering couple on the verge of divorce; Lallan (Deshmukh) and Jhingur (Pitobash Tripathy), greedy firefighters who extort money from rescue missions; and Adi (Warsi) and his mentally disabled brother Manav (Jaffrey) who end up destroying an art gallery.

The Mad Chase for Money

Pintu tries to escape by plane but ends up revealing that he has hidden the money at the Omkar Zoo before dying in a plane crash. When all the characters converge at the site, they discover the hidden cash and race towards the zoo to get it – leading to a series of chaotic and funny situations. Guddu-Johnny’s car breaks down, and they face insane incidents trying to find transport. Avinash-Bindu gets lost thanks to a misleading GPS and faces dangerous jungle adventures. Lallan-Jhingur’s rickety helicopter crashes too. And Adi-Manav messes up the functions of a high-tech car thanks to Manav’s innocence.

After surviving, they finally make it to the zoo – only to find the zoo owner, Chinappa (Mahesh Manjrekar), trying to kill the animals to convert the property. So they band together to save the animals before retrieving the hidden money. This leads to humorous, life-threatening situations with lions, gorillas, elephants, and tigers while trying to keep them. There is also a subplot with Esha Gupta playing the zoo caretaker Prachi, who has a mischievous pet monkey.

After somehow surviving the crazy animal encounters, all characters locate the hidden money and decide to split it among themselves, allowing them to resolve their problems. Avinash-Bindu resolved their differences and agreed not to divorce.

Guddu finds love with Prachi. Lallan sets aside his greed for a bit to selflessly save animals. Even the police commissioner develops a soft corner for Guddu-Johnny and lets them go with some of the money. Manav’s antics continue to create trouble, but all ends well!

Response to Total Dhamaal 2023

Total Dhamaal film received mixed to negative reviews from critics. It holds a disappointing 30% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on ten reviews, with an average rating of 3/10. While reviewers like Taran Adarsh and Himesh Mankad praised its clean humor and entertainment value for families, most felt it failed to deliver on its potential. Movies similar to Total Dhamaal, for instance Golmaal and Radhe, had a better response from the public as well as media houses.

Critics panned the film for its poor writing, lame jokes, over-reliance on slapstick comedy, and lack of cleverness or originality. Many called it a cynical cash-grab film with low-brow humor. Terms like “lazy filmmaking,” “no-brainer comedy,” and “lacks thought and lightness of touch” were used to describe Total Dhamaal.

With a premise rehashed from 1963’s Hollywood comedy classic, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and borrowing gags from recent Hollywood hits like Vacation and Blended, Total Dhamaal does not try to hide its influences.

Yet it creates solid entertainment by bringing together a talented cast and putting them through a ludicrous comic adventure. While the plot is barebones, the characters and their predicaments drive most of the humor.

Fans of the Dhamaal franchise will undoubtedly enjoy this third outing. And those looking for some clean, escapist comedy will find enough laughs, too, in this madcap ride. It could have used tighter writing and better development of certain characters and relationships. But as a purely situational comedy, Total Dhamaal delivers solid entertainment and laughs, mainly staying true to its genre.