3 min readMumbaiMay 8, 2026 08:15 AM IST
Dug Dug movie review: While it is well established that truth is stranger than fiction, once faith enters the narrative and, subsequently, dominates it, things can get curiouser and curiouser. That’s how a trippy satirical tale set in Rajasthan, titled Dug Dug, unfolds. The film releases Friday.
The film, which is directed and written by Ritwik Pareek, follows the death of a man named Thakur Sa, who was drunk and driving a two-wheeler with a pink seat, in a road accident at night. The moped, which ends up in police custody and is even locked up in the jail, mysteriously keeps returning to the accident spot. In no time, the bike acquires divine status with power to fulfill the wishes of those who pray to it and offer a bottle of alcohol, one Thakur Sa’s favourite things. The accident site soon becomes a roadside shrine, thronged by devotees from far and wide.
The film’s premise might sound bizarre but there’s some truth to it. In Jodhpur is located Om Banna temple, which is dedicated to a 350cc Royal Enfield motorcycle. What makes watching this film a fascinating experience is the whimsicality, wry humour and touches of magical realism. Even as blind faith drives people to worship the garlanded bike and the roadside shrine turns into a sprawling temple, the film’s tone neither turns judgy nor preachy. Though designed as a socio-religious satire, the film does not take up the task of busting the myth or questioning the faith of followers.
The well-crafted film, which opts for pithy lines especially in the first half, is a visual delight though set in an arid landscape. While the credit for it goes to cinematographer Aditya Kumar, the smart use of pink and blue — said to be favourite colours of Thakur Sa — adds to the visual richness (the film is designed by Ranjit Singh). What compliments the visuals is the excellent soundtrack, which is composed by the group Salvage Audio Collective.
Together, the visuals and jazz-rock music add a vibrant energy to the storytelling. However, in spite of this, parts of the second half turns tedious as scenes about how the popularity of the shine keeps on growing become repetitive.
Towards the end, one elderly cop who is about to retire in a week, regrets that nothing major happened during his long stint there. It does not seem to have registered in his mind the incredulity of the road accident death that led to the birth of a new deity and a large number of followers. In India, where many surreal occurrences become a part of everyday life, Dug Dug tells the story of one such “almost-true” event.
Dug Dug movie director: Ritwik Pareek
Dug Dug movie cast: Altaf Khan, Yogendra Singh Parmar, Durga Lal Saini, Gaurav Soni
Dug Dug movie rating: 3.5 stars
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