Market Yard in Pune buzzed with enthusiasm from as early as 6am on a chilly Thursday morning, as nearly 700 die-hard fans of Shah Rukh Khan gathered to celebrate the release of his latest movie, 'Dunki,' at the City Pride Multiplex on Satara Road. With slogans such as 'We love Shah Rukh,' 'Bharat ki shaan Shah Rukh Khan,' and 'Humari jaan Shah Rukh Khan,' the atmosphere was electric.
Sporting T-shirts and kurtas emblazoned with 'Dunki' and Shah Rukh's images, the enthusiastic fans commenced the day with a spirited road show featuring bikes, jeeps, and even an SRK lookalike dressed as Hardy, the actor's character from the film.
Organised by Team SRK Pune, a Shah Rukh Khan fan club from the city, the lively procession, stretching across 1km, concluded at the cinema hall, where the jubilant crowd unleashed fireworks and vibrant colour bombs, their fervent chants echoing throughout the celebration.
Once inside the hall, the fans reveled in laughter during comedic sequences and shared collective sighs during emotional moments. Their excitement reached a crescendo when they enthusiastically danced along with the song 'Lutt Putt Gaya,' perfectly synchronised with the movie's beats.
As the credits rolled, an ecstatic standing ovation filled the theatre, followed by a gathering outside where a celebratory cake was cut, marking the culmination of an unforgettable cinematic celebration.
This author (an SRK fan, mind you) was present to witness the manic scenes. Amidst the fervour, we spoke to fans who shared their experiences. Akshay Bhujbal recounted the thrill of seeing his village, Talegaon Dhamdhere, featured in the film. "Director Rajkumar Hirani, Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu, and many others had come to our village to shoot the farm scenes. It was lovely to see my village in the film," he added. Vaibhav Gate said it was a wonderful experience to watch the film with so many fans. "I don't think any other actor has so many fans. Shah Rukh is on another level completely. The film too was very good," he added."
Harshal Sonavane, the founder of Team SRK Pune, said this will be a year to remember for Shah Rukh fans. "After breaking Bollywood's box-office curse with the massive success of 'Pathaan' in January and delivering his massiest film, 'Jawan,' in September, 'Dunki' is SRK's third blockbuster in a row. We celebrated the film's release with a massive rally followed by enthusatic celebrations outside and inside the cinema hall," he added.
Harshal Sonavane, the founder of Team SRK Pune, expressed that this year will be unforgettable for Shah Rukh Khan's fans. "After breaking Bollywood's box-office curse with the tremendous success of 'Pathaan' in January and presenting his massive film, 'Jawan,' in September, 'Dunki' marks SRK's third consecutive blockbuster. We commemorated the film's release with a grand rally, followed by enthusiastic celebrations both outside and inside the cinema hall," he added.
