Dhabkaaro screening leaves Aamir Khan and industry friends emotional; praise Deven Bhojani’s powerful performance

While it has its share of light-hearted moments and easy banter, Dhabkaaro, a Gujarati film set to release on May 1, featuring a powerful lead performance by Deven Bhojani, leaves you deeply emotional by the end. A tearjerker, the film moved industry stalwarts like actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan, filmmaker-entrepreneur Mansoor Khan, Gowariker brothers – Ashutosh and Avinash, and several of his industry friends, who were present at the screening held on April 22. It takes a perceptive filmmaker like Abhishek Shah, who won a National Award for his 2019-debut film Hellaro, to see an actor beyond their established image. And this film does exactly that with Deven at its core. Known for his impeccable comic timing, the actor breaks away from his familiar persona and delivers one of his most nuanced performance to date. He plays a layered character, tracing the journey of a hardened, morally ambiguous businessman who gradually transforms into a compassionate human being.

Through Deven’s performance, the narrative unfolds as an emotional arc that feels both intimate and compelling. He makes you smile, laugh, angry, hate and eventually, feel for him. The film’s premiere turned into a warm industry gathering as well as heartfelt celebration of Deven’s journey and relationships in the industry. Also present at the event were notable names from the Hindi film industry, such as Junaid Khan, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, Shefali Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah and Jaaved Jaaferi, among others. Their presence reflected the immense goodwill and respect the actor commands across the film fraternity.

Deven shares a long-standing association with Aamir, having studied in the same college. They also worked together in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) and a TV show. Aamir’s presence at the screening spoke volumes of that bond. Praising the film, Aamir said, “Deven lead actor hain iss film ka. Kaafi kamaal ki kahaani hai. Yeh ek golden film hai. Bohot ro kar nikla hoon main.”

Speaking about the evening, Deven mused over the overwhelming warmth and support that surrounded the film. He said, “My friends from films, OTT, television and theatre came together for the private screening of Dhabkaaro. With them, it always feels like no time has passed, whether we meet after a day or a decade. I wanted to celebrate this film with them. It is presented by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by a National Award-winner, Abhishek. I play a character unlike anything I have done before. Their reactions went viral within minutes. Now, I am eagerly waiting for the audience’s response when the film releases on May 1.”



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