Renowned filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has delivered a nuanced review of the blockbuster period spy thriller Dhurandhar, lavishing praise on its technical craft and performances while openly disagreeing with the political stance conveyed in two specific dialogues. Kashyap shared his detailed thoughts on the social film platform Letterboxd, sparking discussions within the film fraternity and among audiences.
A Review of Contradictions: Praise Amidst Disagreement
In his review, Kashyap was unequivocal in his admiration for the film's execution. He described the filmmaking as "top-notch" and positioned the movie alongside acclaimed American propaganda films like Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty. He specifically highlighted the "stubbornness" of director Aditya Dhar, whom he has known since Dhar's National Award-winning 2009 short film Boond.
However, the Gangs of Wasseypur director pointed out that he had a problem with two sequences that, in his view, underlined the film's core politics. The first was a dialogue by actor R. Madhavan's character: "Ek din aisa ayega jab jo bhi desh ke baare mein koi sochega" (A day will come when whoever thinks about the country). The second was Ranveer Singh's climactic line: "Yeh naya India hai" (This is a new India). Kashyap argued that removing these two moments would leave behind a "good film, in fact, a brilliant film."
The Personal Context: Director Aditya Dhar's Journey
Kashyap provided crucial context for his tempered critique by shedding light on director Aditya Dhar's personal background. "He is a Kashmiri Pandit who has suffered," Kashyap wrote, emphasizing Dhar's honesty and contrasting him with opportunists. He noted that all of Dhar's films are fundamentally about Kashmir, stemming from his lived experience. Kashyap's concluding advice was, "Either you argue with him or let him be."
On the performance front, Kashyap reserved special acclaim for lead actor Ranveer Singh, calling it his "favourite performance" and praising the actor for being "so secure." In a related revelation, Kashyap recently shared that he had initially written his 2015 film Bombay Velvet for a fresher Ranveer Singh, but producers insisted on casting Ranbir Kapoor.
Echoes in the Industry: Hrithik Roshan's Similar Stance
Kashyap is not the only prominent film personality to express a complex, admiration-laced critique of Dhurandhar. Last month, superstar Hrithik Roshan took to his Instagram Stories to share his views. Roshan stated he might disagree with the film's politics and debate the responsibilities of filmmakers as global citizens. Nevertheless, he admitted he "loved and learnt from this one as a student of cinema," calling the film "Amazing."
The film, co-produced by Aditya Dhar's B62 Studios and Jyoti Deshpande's Jio Studios, features an ensemble cast including Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Sara Arjun. It has achieved monumental box office success, becoming the highest-grossing Bollywood film in India and is set to enter the coveted Rs 800 crore club domestically. Its worldwide collection has reportedly crossed a staggering Rs 1180 crore.
Kashyap's review underscores a significant moment in contemporary Hindi cinema, where a film's monumental commercial success and technical prowess coexist with a political narrative that prompts introspection and debate even among its staunch admirers.
