Home

>

Travel

>

What Is The Donkey Route On Which Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki Is Based?

Shah Rukh Khan’s latest movie, Dunki, is about a group of ragtag characters attempting to make their way to the grand city of London.

by Tooba Shaikh
What Is The Donkey Route On Which Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki Is Based?

Shah Rukh Khan’s latest movie, Dunki, is about a group of ragtag characters attempting to make their way to the grand city of London. The movie is based on what is often dubbed as the The Donkey Route. Unlike Robert Frost’s famous line, ‘The road less taken,’ The Donkey Route is a road that you shouldn’t take at all. And for good reason too. This route which promises to fulfil all your dreams can quickly turn into a nightmare and how!

What Is The Donkey Route?

According to an article which was recently published by The Indian Express, the donkey route to first-world countries like the United States Of America. It usually takes illegal migrants through dense jungles of many other countries that are rife with danger, most of them man-made. All of this is for the simple promise of a better life.

In a recent Dubai event, King Khan explained how the name of the movie, ‘Dunki’, is derived from the Punjabi locution of ‘The Donkey Route’. The route weaves through multiple countries and it takes months to reach your final destination. If you’re heading to the US, The Indian Express article mentions that your first stop is likely to be a Latin American country.

Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana and Venezuela are places where the migrants head. How complicated and dangerous the route to your destination is depends upon how much you pay your ‘agents’ and how well-connected your agent is. The article specifies that ‘connection’ in this context means links with human traffickers in different countries. A dangerous trip like this can cost anywhere between ₹15 to ₹70 lakhs.

Also Read: Dance, Giveaways & More; Shah Rukh Khan Spotted At Global Village, Dubai For Dunki Promotions

The Theme Of Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki

Sometimes, the migrants have to wait for months on end for their ‘connections’ to deem it safe enough to move forward. Therefore, the hapless migrants get stuck in one place. Citing one such incident, The Indian Express article mentioned a person waited for 1.5 months in Mumbai. Their agent’s connection in Brazil was to send a signal which was awaited.

It took the person a total of eight months to reach the US. Gurpal Singh was another such illegal migrant cited in the article. A bus accident in Mexico killed him when he was trying to evade the local police. Darien Gap and the boat route from San Andres to Nicaragua are two of the most dangerous routes to the US. Rape, killings and torture, all go unnoticed and unpunished.

There’s a safer route that passes through Europe but it is only a matter of time before the authorities notice it can start cracking down on it. The real question here, however, is what is making people in India so desperate to leave the country. They’re willing to take on such a treacherous and expensive journey despite knowing the risks.

Also Read: Shah Rukh Khan Visits Vaishno Devi For The Third Time In A Year, Seeks Blessings Ahead Of Dunki

Are you planning on watching Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki? Do you know anyone who has crossed borders by undertaking this devious route? Let us know in the comments section below!

Cover Image Credits: Red Chillies Entertainment

For more such snackable content, interesting discoveries and the latest updates on food, travel and experiences in your city, download the Curly Tales App. Download HERE.

Good news! We are on WhatsApp! Subscribe to Curly Tales WhatsApp Channel to stay up-to-date with exclusive content and BTS. Join HERE.