Ranking Rajkumar Hirani's movies; from his first film, 'Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.' to his latest, 'Dunki'

While the definition of good and bad films may differ for many, Rajkumar Hirani, throughout his six-film career, has given movie lovers one blockbuster after another. His movies have not only done well at the box office but have also conveyed a message in the most entertaining way possible. This Bollywood director might (rightly) claim that he’s yet to direct a 'bad' film.

Hirani's debut film, Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., and its sequel, Lage Raho Munna Bhai are absolute laugh riots and continue to entertain the audiences. And with 3 Idiots, one of Bollywood’s biggest box office hits at that time, he hit a hat-trick! Though his next two movies, PK, that imparted a much-needed message and Sanju, that was based on the life of the most polarising figures in cinema, received a comparatively tepid response at the box office, they continue to be watched and celebrated even today. 

Safe to say, it’s an impeccable track record. That said, we looked at Hirani's movies purely from a story and screenplay perspective, and here's our ranking of Rajkumar Hirani movies from best to worst. 

Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.

A director’s first film is always special as it shows their creativity in its rawest form. The way Hirani effortlessly integrates emotions and comedy makes it the number one on our list. His take on the hospital facilities, college ragging, and the partnership of a good-hearted goon and his sidekick, is refreshing. The movie also gives us some iconic emotional moments like Sanjay Dutt hugging his father (his dad in real life too) and the ‘jadoo ki jhappi’ which became was trending for a long time. 

3 Idiots

Joy, heartbreak, and comedy—this movie was an emotional roller-coaster. The movie is based on the life of engineering students and is loosely adapted from Chetan Bhagat's novel Five Point Someone. Scenes and moments from the movie that struck the right chord with the audiences have become part of today’s meme culture. The camaraderie between the three friends, the scenic views of Ladakh, the cute love story that brews between the protagonists, are just a few things to love and cherish in this movie. 3 Idiots motivated audiences as much as it entertained. 

Lage Raho Munna Bhai

Sequels are always a tricky business for filmmakers, more so when the first film was an absolute laugh riot and box-office entertainer. Hirani, who introduced the world to ‘Gandhigiri’ struck the perfect balance between engrossing storytelling, humour, and a message that left the audience with ample food for thought without sounding preachy. 

PK

The film sheds light on a lot of topics that a lot of people have a problem talking about. It shows an outsider, an alien from another planet, to show a mirror to the world and tell us what the problem is, from fighting over one’s faith to godmen using religion to their advantage. The film because is brave in what it wants to convey. 

Sanju

It might have been a super hit film, but one reason why many movie lovers didn’t like the film was that it was everything that Sanjay Dutt isn’t—perfect. His portrayal seemed too good to be true as everyone but him was to be blamed for the situations he found himself in (one might just stop short of calling it whitewashing). After having enjoyed every page of the book Sanjay Dutt: The Crazy Untold Story of Bollywood's Bad Boy, it's difficult to come to terms with the how a different reality was shown in the film. While it's understandable that a filmmaker can’t fit every fact into a movie, it seems biased when you only showcase the good parts of a person’s life. 

Dunki

The expectations from Dunki were high, and understandably. For starters, Hirani and King Khan, who had a dream run this year with two of the year’s biggest hits (Pathaan and Jawan), had come together for the first time. Unfortunately, the duo failed to create the magic. The story, which revolves around the hardships that immigrants—who dream of a better future—face, lacked conviction in its narrative and screenplay. Vicky Kaushal, in a special appearance, and the rest of the supporting cast, are great in the film. What one would certainly love is how the songs of the film take the film forward especially 'Nikle The Kabhi Hum Ghar Se' sung by Sonu Nigam whose hard-hitting lyrics hit home and 'Chal Ve Watna'. The script didn't quite hit the mark after raising our expectations, but it's an entertainer nonetheless.