Prominent Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has shared a detailed and nuanced review of the blockbuster historical spy action film 'Dhurandhar' on the social reviewing platform Letterboxd. While heaping praise on the film's technical craft and performances, Kashyap pointedly highlighted his discomfort with two specific sequences that, in his view, reveal the movie's underlying political ideology.
Praise for Craft and Context
In his review, Kashyap was unequivocal in his admiration for the filmmaking, describing it as "top-notch." He lauded director Aditya Dhar's "stubbornness" and drew parallels between 'Dhurandhar' and acclaimed American films that have been viewed as propaganda, such as Kathryn Bigelow's 'The Hurt Locker' (2009) and 'Zero Dark Thirty' (2012). He acknowledged the personal context of the filmmaker, noting that Dhar is a Kashmiri Pandit who has suffered, and all his films are about Kashmir.
"Agree or disagree with it, the man is honest. Not an opportunist like others," Kashyap wrote, showing respect for Dhar's consistent vision. He also reserved special praise for Ranveer Singh's performance, calling it his favourite and noting the actor's secure portrayal.
The Problematic Dialogues
However, the core of Kashyap's critique centered on two dialogues. He stated he has no issue with the fundamental premise that a spy or soldier must harbor angst against an enemy state. His problem lay in two explicit lines.
The first is delivered by actor R. Madhavan's character: "Ek din aisa ayega jab jo bff desh ke baare mein koi sochega" (A day will come when no one will think about the country). The second comes at the film's end from Ranveer Singh's character: "Yeh naya India hai" (This is a new India).
"Take those two aside, it’s a good film. In fact, a brilliant film that is entirely set in Pakistan," Kashyap argued. He confessed that these dialogues, which he sees as clearly stating the film's political stance, bother him. The filmmaker even mentioned that he might phone Aditya Dhar to debate the movie's politics, while still acknowledging the film's "significant" value.
Legacy and Final Verdict
Kashyap's connection to Dhar dates back to the director's National Award-winning 2009 short film 'Boond', for which Kashyap contributed as a writer. This history adds a layer of professional camaraderie to his critique.
Ultimately, Anurag Kashyap's review presents a split verdict. He positions 'Dhurandhar' as a brilliantly executed spy thriller with compelling performances, especially from Ranveer Singh, and masterful direction by Aditya Dhar. Yet, he firmly separates his appreciation for the craft from his ideological disagreement with the political message he perceives in two key moments, framing the film as a potent piece of cinema that sparks necessary conversation.
The main cast of 'Dhurandhar' includes Ranveer Singh as Hamza Ali Mazari / Jaskirat Singh, Akshaye Khanna as Rehman Dakait, Sanjay Dutt as SP Chaudhary Aslam, R. Madhavan as Ajay Sanyal, Arjun Rampal as Major Iqbal, and Sara Arjun as Yalina Jamali.
