It is said that films with kids or animals in the lead roles are the toughest to make, but when you have a master filmmaker like Nagesh Kukunoor at the helm, it can be guaranteed that the film will be one that will make a special place in your heart and Dhanak is a testimony to the fact. Set in the sandy locales of Rajasthan, Dhanak revolves around Pari (Hetal Gada), a die-hard Shah Rukh Khan fan and her visually impaired younger brother Chotu (Krrish Chhabria), who swears by Salman Khan. The two orphans live with their paternal uncle (Vipin Sharma) in a hamlet in Rajasthan and live a relatively happy life despite the hardships that they encounter daily.

Devoid of any melodrama, Nagesh Kukunoor's 'Dhanak' tells a beautiful tale of siblings Pari ( Hetal Gadda ) and her visually challenged brother Chotu ( Krrish Chhabria ), who live with their paternal uncle and aunt (played by Vipin Sharma and Gulfam Khan) in the arid desert of Rajasthan. Pari is a Shah Rukh Khan fan, whereas her younger brother Chotu is a die hard Salman Khan fan, who even wears a replica of the actor's famous 'feroza' bracelet.

At the outset, 'Dhanak' looks like one of those typical films designed for festivals and to capture the attention of NRIs. There is a desert, there are colourful outfits, there is poverty, there is folk music and of course, there are kids tugging at your heartstrings. But thankfully, 'Dhanak' goes much beyond what one expected of it and actually manages to kind of temporarily transport you to a magical place where hopes don't die and the most impossible of wishes come true.

There are few films which feed your soul. They make you happy, they inspire you and most importantly, they reaffirm your faith in human relationships. Nagesh Kukunoor's latest venture Dhanak is one such film. It's an endearing story about brother-sister bonding, about love, hope and all things bright and beautiful. One thing as a filmmaker that Kuknoor does amazingly well is that he shows you that a film doesn't have to be high on drama and emotion to capture one's attention.

It's not easy to love one actor between Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. If you are a Bhai admirer, SRK aficionados will look at you begrudgingly and vice versa. They hardly care but there is a distinct rivalry between the fans of these two Khans and at times, they cry foul as well. But what if you don't have to pull down one for the other? Nagesh Kukunoor's Dhanak weaves the most heart warming story around the rivalry between the fans of these two Khans who happen to be siblings. This is one film which is recommended not just for you but for Salman and Shah Rukh as well.

Pari ( Hetal Gada) has only one dream. She wants her little brother Chotu ( Krrish Chhabria) to once again have his eyesight back. The kids are being brought up by their Chacha-Chachi. While the Chacha is loving, he is a good for nothing soul and it is the Chachi who is the bread winner for the family. She is not very fond of the kids and vice versa. Pari and Chotu are huge fans of Bollywood and one of their biggest arguing point always remains to be that little Chotu is a Salman Khan fan where as Pari loves the romantic Shah Rukh Khan.

Every morning Pari (Hetal Gada) and Chotu's (Krrish Chhabria) long walk to school begins with the toss of a coin outside their hut. The winner will decide if the story that will be told on the way to school that day will be one about a Shah Rukh Khan film or a Salman Khan film. The siblings are rivals in their love for the two stars. Pari is devoted to Shah Rukh and Chotu worships Salman Khan (down to wearing a replica of the star's trademark silver bracelet with a blue stone).

There is something incredible happening around us, but we don't know it yet. Call it magical realism or our inability to spot a rainbow (Dhanak), we keep marching ahead with our blinkers on. But, Pari (Hetal Gadda) and Chotu (Krrish Chhabria) are not like us, not anymore. They live in a small mud house near the desert in Rajasthan where life is as difficult as it can be. Pari has been failing her exams for two years to study in the same class as her brother Chotu.

We all need a li'l bit of sparkle and rainbow in our lives. Director Nagesh Kukunoor's Dhanak reminds us of the small joys of life and teaches us a lesson in dealing with our sorrows. Who better to learn this from, than kids? Nagesh's keen understanding of human emotions comes handy as he makes the young Pari his protagonist. Her world revolves around two things - her baby brother and her love for Shah Rukh Khan.

A film that believes - and artfully coaxes the audience to believe - in miracles, Nagesh Kukunoor's bewitching Dhanak is itself a full-blown marvel. It's like a dazzling flash in the sky that lights up everything around it and soaks you instantly in its warmth. This sparkling little gem deftly darts back and forth between disarming simplicity and hearty cheerfulness to deliver a feel-good road trip fable. The spell it casts is so durable that it clings to you for hours after you've left the auditorium.