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Dolly Ki Doli backdrop

Dolly Ki Doli

23 January 2015Hindi1h 40m
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 18 scored reviews · 7 not rated

A fun cast can't paper over the thin writing holding Dolly back.

Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Ensemble cast performances
  • Criticised: Weak script, wasted premise

Audience

User score 6.0 out of 10 from 5 ratings, Mixed
Read 2 audience reviews ↓

Not streaming in India

Critic consensus

What 24 critics are saying

Critical reception for Dolly Ki Doli is mildly mixed-to-average, with most reviewers placing it in watchable but unremarkable territory. Ensemble performances — particularly from Rajkummar Rao and Varun Sharma — are the most consistently cited strength across reviews. The most frequent criticism is that the film squanders an interesting premise through weak writing, lapses in logic, and an underdeveloped protagonist. Several critics describe it as passable time-pass entertainment that falls short of its potential.

How the 18 scores spread

7 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 24 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (25)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    IBNLive

    Film review ·

    Never overstaying its welcome, the film is short and a lot of fun. It's worth watching for Rajkummar Rao's excellent performance alone.
  2. Top critic

    NDTV

    Film review ·

    For all its obvious flaws and failings, Dolly Ki Doli is not completely unworthy of the 100 minutes that it demands from the audience.
  3. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    Sonam Kapoor film starts off well, but falls into a familiar trap. Ultimately, 'Dolly Ki Doli' is neither biting social comment, nor unfettered fun.
  4. Top critic

    Firstpost

    Film review ·

    Though Dolly Ki Doli doesn't qualify as an awful movie – it's not tacky and is often funny - it does, regrettably, end up as forgettable fluff and a hugely wasted opportunity.
  5. Bollywood Hungama

    Film review ·

    DOLLY KI DOLI is a stress buster that will make you smile as you'll leave the theatre. Debutante director Abhishek Dogra has competently extracted superb performances from the entire starcast. The unpredictable climax of the film works to the advantage too. But the four day weekend will help this Dolly ensnare many patrons. The word of mouth will be the key in witnessing the growth. We say, it's a roller coaster entertainer. Enjoy it with your families.
  6. Deccan Chronicle

    Film review ·

    This is one of those rare Hindi films that actually ups the ante in the last few minutes and that's a pleasant surprise indeed. A pacy screenplay keeps the narrative engaging and some tight editing manages to keep the film within 100 minutes, again a welcome treat. The writing is crisp and the director keeps a firm hold on all his characters, never letting them fly off the rails.
  7. Rediff

    Film review ·

    Dolly Ki Doli's ambiguous, unapologetic tone favours the overall whimsy narrative and its aversion to melodrama...
  8. Sify

    Film review ·

    Debut director Abhishek Dogra gives us a film that's an above-average entertainer, with an interesting story and a solid ensemble cast. Worth a watch!
  9. Zee News

    Film review ·

    Overall, despite glitches that test your sense of logic and actuality, 'Dolly Ki Doli' comes across an entertaining film.
  10. BookMyShow

    Film review ·

    Dolly Ki Doli may not exactly be a top-notch entertainer, but it definitely is your best bet this weekend. The plot is funny for the most part and the actors have delivered stellar performances. It has its moments, and surely does put a smile on your face.
  11. KoiMoi

    Film review ·

    Dolly Ki Doli is a time-pass entertainer that you can enjoy if you keep your brains at home. This film comes as a breath of fresh air from all the South remakes and thought-provoking dramas that are most oftenly served. After particularly loving Varun Sharma's comic antics and Rajkummar Rao's sheer genuine acting...
  12. Masala

    Film review ·

    Dolly Ki Doli could have been spunkier, funkier and all things better. Watch it only for Rajkummar Rao, Varun Sharma and Archana Puran Singh.
  13. Mid-Day

    Film review ·

    This premise could have worked wonders, if the director confidently showed the protagonist as the stone hearted, badass woman who cheated men for the pure thrill of it. That Dolly would have been far more convincing than this strange mish mash of a conwoman and Sati Savitri.
  14. NowRunning

    Film review ·

    Dolly Ki Doli isn't great but isn't all the bad either. The story works mostly for the social satire that it is on the national obsession - Marriage. Should you watch the film? Yes, for the idea and some entertaining performances.
  15. The Navhind Times

    Film review ·

    There aren't too many films that rest on such a flimsy premise, have very little logic and yet are pleasant, like the cool evening breeze, Dolly Ki Doli directed by debutant Abhishek Dogra is one of those. One of the reasons for that is the duration, at a little over an hour and a half, Dolly's tale moves at a fairly reasonable pace speed without too much extra baggage.
  16. Wogma

    Film review ·

    I find myself liking a film more than I usually would because of what I didn't "get" about the film. The only thing I know for sure is I enjoyed the overall concept and felt a liberation of sorts with the way the film ended.
  17. Daily Bhaskar

    Film review ·

    You have to be a diehard fan of Sonam Kapoor to watch the film. So that you don't feel that bad while you drain your money down the bin.
  18. Emirates247

    Film review ·

    Had the filmmakers worked a little harder, 'Dolly ki Doli' would've turned into something spectacular. It's good, but not great.

From our readers

Audience reviews (2)

5 ratings · user score 6.0

  1. Tejas NairApr 2015
    3/10

    I like comedies about social issues; the reason I count myself among the few people who liked Daawat-E-Ishq's (2014) story. Dolly Ki Doli, as it turns out, is a mixture of that film + the female version of Ladies Vs. Ricky Bahl (2012) + Hollywood rom-com Runaway Bride. The story about a petty girl who teams up with crooks to form a family and cheat well off grooms and their families is appealing. The screenplay starts off rather gaudily, slipping in the item song by the sexy Malaika Arora in the first fifteen minutes. There is no background on how and what and why Dolly (Sonam Kapoor) and her fake family are doing what they are doing. Not even the proceedings throw light into the origin. Of course, there is some silly philosophical babble that explains Dolly's immoral profession at the end, but it doesn't make sense. There are few comedic sequences that jeers at issues like arranged marriages in India, auspicious post-wedding first-nights, traditions, dowry customs, etc., but they all fade into nothingness. The final twenty minutes are the worst I have seen in any movie in the past months and that includes Bhushan Patel's torturous, concocted dish Alone (2015). Even if one sustains the tedious first half, nothing will stop you from wondering whether the writers really put in any effort to end this drama rather ceremoniously. There is nothing to talk about the filmmaking parameters, except that Sonam Kapoor cannot act. I have brought up this issue in many (all) of my reviews of her films that Kapoor is just not the chip off the old block. She should shift to catering, or even better: miming in a park in Bandra. The supporting cast (Rao and Samrat, too) adds humor and ounces of glory to the film while Kapoor is busy dancing in at least four songs that I happen to notice. BOTTOM LINE: If I were a 27 year old lad with a job and no girlfriend looking for a getaway this weekend, I would skip Dolly Ki Doli. I would even skip that pretentious Baby (2015) and Depp's career suicide Mortdecai (2015). Instead, I would go to a beach and watch the sun go down the horizon and induce pleasure from it. 3/10. Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

  2. 7/10

    I've never been a Sonam Kapoor fan, but Dolly ki Doli totally made me fall for her. Based on the true looteri dulhan incidents of North India, this ridiculously logic-less but very humorous comedy is very down-to-earth and desi. Starring Muhammad Zeeshan Ayyub, Varun Sharma, Pulkit Samrat and an effectively performing Rajkummar Rao, this spare-no-one drama relies on its sharp writing. The second half, although flawed, shakes you- the irony of separation in love is defined in just a song. At only 96 minutes, this mainstream, too Bollywood film packs in more than too much, but it still deserves an applause on its comment- being a con bride is always better than being a sex worker. And above everything, it's the triumph of Sonam Kapoor, who shows the vulnerable and the bold sides of Dolly. This is indeed one of the best Hindi films this year. I'm going with 3.5 out of 5 for Dolly ki Doli. Its never long, never is it labored, and it is always quirky, witty fun.

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Cast

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