Ajay Devgn-Starrer Dhamaal 4's Whale Scene Trolled For Poor VFX

Ajay Devgn-starrer Dhamaal 4 is in the eye of a social media storm after a one-minute clip showing Devgn's character emerging from the ocean riding two whales went viral. Released in theatres on July 10, the adventure-comedy has recorded steady numbers in India. It has received a mixed response from viewers, though. 

The film's subpar visual effects have come under massive criticism, which escalated further after a one-minute sequence showing Ajay Devgn's character submerged in the ocean before making a dramatic entry riding on two whales surfaced online.

In the viral clip, Devgn is seen with only his head visible above the water while Sanjay Mishra and a young girl, seated in a boat, encourage him to keep going. He is next seen emerging from the water on the backs of two whales.

Far from being impressed, many social media users flooded platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and questioned the quality of the VFX. Several viewers claimed that Devgn's face appeared like a “cardboard cutout floating on water,” while others joked about his expression and the execution of the scene. Some also slammed the choice of song during the sequence.

What is wrong with Ajay Devgn ? It's literally a cutout of his face keyframed in the entire sequence ???? pic.twitter.com/6sDvxJ3Be6

— ????. (@jalebination) July 15, 2026

Here's How Social Media Users Reacted

A user wrote, “One would think after Dhurandhar, filmmakers in Bollywood would start putting more effort in their works… but here we are LMAO.” 

One would think after Dhurandhar, filmmakers in Bollywood would start putting more effort in their works.. but here we are lmao https://t.co/bjQqQ6vZmc

— Visualsofazmat✍️ (@Visualsofazmat1) July 16, 2026

Some users also took aim at the choice of background music, with one saying, “They had 100 songs to choose from and still chose Bella Ciao for background music.”

“Koi aur karta toh samajh bhi ata, but AJ himself, being a director, owns a VFX company, should have at least considered shooting for this shot on a green mat,” another commented.

Koi aur karta toh samajh bhi ata but AJ himself being a director, owns a vfx company, should have at least considered shooting for this shot on a green mat. https://t.co/loDHNGX2oG

— Sasta Tarantino ???? (@Sparkhi01) July 16, 2026

An individual joked, “This is not a cut-out. Ajay Devgn has a wooden face.”

Others defended Devgn, suggesting that the criticism was exaggerated. “People are trolling a VFX shot from #Dhamaal4, calling it “unprofessional” or “unreal.” “But here's the thing: it's a comedy film, not a documentary. Every genre has its own style and creative liberty.” 

“Comedy isn't judged by whether every frame looks realistic, it's judged by whether it entertains the audience. The biggest answer to all this criticism is the box office. The film has already delivered a hit verdict and is performing strongly,” said another fan.

#dhamaal4 - People are trolling a VFX shot from #Dhamaal4, calling it "unprofessional" or "unreal."

But here's the thing: it's a comedy film, not a documentary. Every genre has its own style and creative liberty. Comedy isn't judged by whether every frame looks realistic it's… pic.twitter.com/Oafd0PETan

— Ravi Chaudhary (@BURN4DESIRE1) July 16, 2026

Dhamaal Franchise

The franchise kicked off with the original film, Dhamaal, released on September 7, 2007. It was followed by two sequels: Double Dhamaal and Total Dhamaal. The initial two films featured Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaaferi, Saanand Verma, Ashish Chaudhary, Karan Deol, and Sanjay Dutt in lead roles.

The third installment saw several other talented actors, including Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor, Johnny Lever, Boman Irani, Mahesh Manjrekar and Madhuri Dixit, along with the original cast. 

Dhamaal 4 is made under the direction of Indra Kumar and produced by Ajay Devgn, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Ashok Thakeria, Indra Kumar, Anand Pandit, and Kumar Mangat Pathak.