Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar arrives with the swagger of a full-blown Bollywood extravaganza – loud, colourful, unapologetically dramatic. As a weekend pick, it’s a riot. As an espionage thriller? Well… it occasionally behaves like one, when it isn’t distracted by song snippets, slow-mo entries, and political nudges.
A Stellar Ensemble Doing the Heavy Lifting
The biggest triumph of Dhurandhar is its cast. Practically everyone shows up with their A-game.
Akshaye Khanna, playing the fearsome Rehman Dakait, steals the entire film with a presence so magnetic it almost feels unfair to the rest of the lineup. His quiet menace, sharp-eyed authority, and hypnotic stillness channel cinema’s iconic crime lords. Ranveer Singh – sporting rugged charm and a brooding intensity – delivers fire, but Khanna devours every frame they share.
- Madhavan’s dignified turn as the IB chief adds a layer of grounded calm. Sanjay Dutt brings weight to his revenge-fuelled role, and Arjun Rampal manages to shine despite limited screen time. Rakesh Bedi, meanwhile, is the unexpected comic breather in an otherwise blood-soaked narrative. The only real misfit is Sara Arjun’s character, who feels hastily inserted – more checkbox romance than meaningful plot.
Thrills, Politics & a Sprinkle of Nostalgia
The soundtrack delivers surprising punches: brief bursts of classics like “Muddatein Guzri” and “Dum Maro Dum” appear fleetingly yet linger in memory. The background score, particularly during Khanna’s grand welcome sequence, is pure “aura-building” indulgence.
However, the script navigates familiar political terrain. Without naming names, the film paints flattering and unflattering portraits of real-world intelligence figures. Even a few dialogue drops hint at a very specific ideological leaning. None of it is subtle, but it certainly fuels discussion.
The Anupama Chopra Backlash: When a Review Becomes the News
Just when the film’s noise was loud enough, the conversation took a new turn. Critic Anupama Chopra, after calling Dhurandhar a chaotic and overwhelming thriller, found herself at the receiving end of a digital storm.
Paresh Rawal fired a sharp jab on social media, and within hours, netizens joined the pile-on.
Under intense backlash, Chopra eventually removed her review – ironically generating even more buzz around the film than the makers could have paid for.
Final Verdict
Despite its uneven pacing and occasional political chest-thumping, Dhurandhar works as a punchy, star-driven spectacle. Expect drama, swagger, swagger… and more swagger. If you’re after nuance, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a weekend blast with popcorn, this one fits the bill with gusto.