During the tumultuous period of World War II, England faced a significant labor shortage, prompting the migration of countless workers from India, particularly from Punjab. Eager to better their lives, many young Indians seized this opportunity, leading to a wave of migration. However, with the implementation of the Commonwealth Immigration Act of 1962, the flow of immigrants dwindled, making the journey to England increasingly difficult. Nonetheless, the aspiration to migrate persisted.
In the current timeline, we meet an elderly Manu Randhawa, portrayed by Taapsee Pannu, who escapes from a London hospital only to find herself in need of legal assistance. She meets immigration lawyer Puru Patel, played by Deven Bhojani, who informs her that obtaining an Indian visa will be a challenge given her past. With determination, Manu reaches out to her long-lost love, Hardayal "Hardy" Singh Dhillon, portrayed by Shah Rukh Khan, hoping he can help her return to India.
After 25 years apart, Hardy is overjoyed to hear from Manu and agrees to meet her in Dubai to assist with her predicament, as she cannot secure a visa on her own. Meanwhile, Manu, along with her friends Buggu and Balli—played by Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover, respectively—board a flight to Dubai, aiming to reunite with Hardy.
Flashback to 1995, we discover the younger versions of Manu and her friends living in Laltu, where their dreams of moving to London are thwarted by their financial struggles. Manu's family struggles under the burden of debt, with her working as a cook and her friends facing similar hardships. The group is introduced to an immigration agent who misleadingly encourages Manu to learn wrestling in the hopes of securing a sports visa with the Indian Olympic team.
Trouble arrives when an ex-army officer, Hardy, enters their lives, following his recovery, thanks to Manu’s deceased brother Mahinder, who once saved him. Grateful for the kindness shown to him, Hardy promises to help them reach London. He begins training Manu in wrestling—a skill that he believes could change their fate. However, their visions of migration quickly turn to despair when they realize their agent is a fraud.
In this turmoil, Hardy provides a glimmer of hope: by passing the IELTS test, they could obtain student visas. Thus begins their journey to an IELTS coaching class led by the somewhat comedic, yet ineffective, teacher Geetu Gulati](/actor/boman-irani). Here, they also meet Sukhi played by [Vicky Kaushal, who harbors his own tragic story of love and abuse. As Manu defends Hardy's honor in class, a poignant connection brews between them.
The IELTS exam proves to be chaotic, and despite Hardy’s efforts, the majority fail. However, Balli succeeds, misrepresenting his life in London through deceptive photos, leading to a tragic sequence of events involving Sukhi and the devastating consequences of his despair. Propelled by these hardships, Hardy vows to lead Manu and Buggu to London through the perilous Dunki route, a treacherous path for undocumented migrants.
Their expedition is fraught with danger, including encounters with hostile security forces. Upon finally arriving in London, the reality of Balli's façade shatters their dreams. Living in a decrepit shared house, they struggle to find work while navigating the constant fear of deportation. Desperate for a solution, Manu considers a sham marriage, a plan hatched with the help of Puru Patel. However, the wedding ceremony ignites a confrontation between Hardy and the man she is to wed, resulting in their arrest.
In a critical court scene, Puru advises the group to seek asylum based on the dangers they faced in their homeland. While the others agree, Hardy stands firm, refusing to betray his country. This decision leads to his deportation back to India while Manu and her friends gain British citizenship.
The story comes full circle as Manu seeks to return home, only to learn that her visa has been denied due to her asylum claim. Her journey becomes increasingly chaotic as she and her friends attempt to escape back to India in the guise of illegal migrants. Miraculously, they successfully convince authorities of their identities as Indian citizens and are sent back home, satisfying the dreams that seemed so insurmountable years ago.
The emotional climax reveals that Hardy remained single despite his love for Manu, culminating in a poignant moment just before her tragic death from a brain tumor. Hardy’s heartfelt proposal to her during the fireworks at Diwali becomes a bittersweet memory, symbolizing lost love and faded dreams. The film concludes with a haunting reflection on the challenges of migration and a historical note about the rigid visa policies that have persisted over the years.
