Well, it finally happened. Aditya Dhar's much-anticipated film, Dhurandhar, has hit theatres, and it didn't just arrive—it exploded. The film absolutely shattered expectations, pulling in a massive Rs 27 crore on its very first day. This isn't just a big number; it's officially Ranveer Singh's biggest opening day ever, leaving blockbusters like 'Padmaavat' and 'Simmba' in the dust. With projections already aiming for a jaw-dropping Rs 100 crore opening weekend, it seems like nothing can stop this cinematic juggernaut.
Key Highlights
- ✓ A staggering Rs 27 crore opening day, making it Ranveer Singh's biggest opener ever.
- ✓ Directed by Aditya Dhar, the mastermind behind nationalist hits 'Uri' and 'Article 370'.
- ✓ A powerhouse cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, and R Madhavan.
- ✓ Mired in controversy with claims of negative reviews and 'cancel culture' before its release.
- ✓ Critics are singling out Akshaye Khanna's chilling performance as a major standout.
A Blockbuster Opening Amidst a Digital Storm
But here’s where the story gets really interesting. While the box office numbers are painting a picture of overwhelming success, the lead-up to the release was anything but smooth. A strange wave of negativity and chatter about the film being "just average" started circulating online even before anyone had a chance to see it. Things got so weird that the official press screening was actually cancelled.
This didn't sit well with the film's crew. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra took to social media to call out the bizarre situation. He expressed his frustration, saying, "I've been reading so many unnecessary negative reviews, and honestly, it's very funny... Kya log hain... kisi ne film dekhi bhi nahi, but negativity ke liye ready hain" (What kind of people are these, they haven't even watched the film, but they are ready to spread negativity). He was clearly baffled, and frankly, who can blame him?
Actress Yami Gautam also weighed in, penning a lengthy and powerful note against what she called a toxic trend of "paid campaigns" and "extortion-like" hype. She pointed out that this "cancel culture" was targeting Dhurandhar before its release, a dangerous plague she believes will harm the industry. It's a fascinating and messy backdrop for a film that’s currently tearing up the box office.
Aditya Dhar's Unapologetic Vision
If you've seen Aditya Dhar's previous work, you know he doesn't do things by halves. He’s become something of a dhurandhar himself—an expert at packaging potent nationalist themes with slick, high-quality filmmaking. This film is no different. It's an intense, 212-minute deep dive into the world of India's 'enemies', aimed squarely at an audience that has grown cynical about peace talks since the Kandahar hijack and the 2001 Parliament attack.
The film essentially feels like a tribute to the exploits of a character named Ajay Sanyal, played by the brilliant R Madhavan. While there's a standard disclaimer about it being fictional, the parallels to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval are hard to miss. Sanyal is portrayed as a man waiting for the right political leadership to give him a free hand to dismantle the terror machinery operating from across the border. It's a narrative that directly echoes the "we will enter your home to kill" ethos of the current dispensation.
A 'Gangs of Lyari' for the Jingoistic Space?
Dhar leans heavily into a gritty, unapologetic style. The film is packed with brutal violence, uses real documentary footage to blur the lines of fiction, and is peppered with relentless swear words. Some are even saying it feels like an attempt to create a counterpoint to Anurag Kashyap's raw and visceral cinema, but tailored for a more jingoistic audience. You could almost call it 'Gangs of Lyari' in two parts.
The tools feel familiar—the underworld politics, the raw violence—but the perspective is flipped. It's a fascinating creative choice that aims to create a very specific kind of adult-oriented patriotic thriller, something we haven't seen executed on this scale before.
The Players on the Chessboard
So what's the story about? Sanyal sends a brooding, bearded terminator of an agent named Hamza, played by Ranveer Singh, deep undercover into Karachi's brutal Lyari underworld. His mission is to win the trust of a powerful Baloch gang led by the formidable Rehman Dakait (played by Akshaye Khanna). This gang is used by the Pakistani state, specifically the ISI, to carry out attacks on India.
The real magic, according to early reports, lies in the performances of the supporting cast. Akshaye Khanna is apparently the one who completely steals the show. He's described as having a "chilling presence" and a "piercing gaze that fills you with the fear of the devil." And it's not just him; Rakesh Bedi, cast against type as a chameleon-like politician, is also earning praise for his incredible range, being both comic and vile in the same breath.
Where Does Ranveer Singh Fit In?
Here's the twist you might not see coming in a Ranveer Singh-led film. Despite being the protagonist, his character Hamza often seems to take a backseat. His performance is described as a mix of "bravura and brooding intensity," but some feel it becomes "monotonous" after a while, especially when compared to Akshaye Khanna's magnetic charisma. His chemistry with co-star Sara Arjun also reportedly falls flat.
This seems to be a deliberate choice by the filmmakers, but it has a significant consequence: Ranveer "remains in the shadows" for large parts of the movie. This leaves the audience missing the "wild pace and wicked vibe" that the explosive trailer, edited by the young and talented Ojas Gautam, had promised. It’s a bold move to sideline your main star, and it seems to be one of the film's biggest talking points.
More Hype Than Substance?
With a runtime of nearly three and a half hours, the film's biggest problem might be its own ambition. The consensus seems to be that Dhar has "bitten more than he could chew." A lot of time is spent introducing the star-studded cast, from Sanjay Dutt's impulsive police officer to Arjun Rampal's shrewd ISI officer, Major Iqbal.
To justify having these big names, the story often digresses, losing focus on the core plot. The result is a film that sometimes feels like it's all setup and no payoff. As one review cleverly put it, borrowing from a classic Hasan Jahangir song used in the movie, there's a lot of "Hawa Hawa" with just a "pretence of substance." It's a harsh critique, but it points to a potential disconnect between the hyped-up trailer and the final, indulgent product.
Conclusion
So, what's the final verdict on Dhurandhar? It’s complicated. On one hand, it's an undeniable box office behemoth, a financial juggernaut that has given Ranveer Singh his career-best opening. On the other, it's a film grappling with its own ambition, a sprawling and lengthy thriller that sometimes sidelines its main star in favor of its ensemble.
The film is a fascinating paradox: it’s a critical success for its powerful performances (especially from Akshaye Khanna) but is also criticized for its pacing and plot. And yet, despite the online negativity and its own narrative flaws, the film’s "sustained firepower" has clearly struck a chord with audiences. So much so that people are already buzzing about the second part of Operation Dhurandhar. It seems that, for all its messiness, this is one mission audiences are willing to see through to the end.
