In a series of provocative social media posts, veteran filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has launched a sharp critique of the Indian film industry's silence around the monumental success of Aditya Dhar's spy-thriller Dhurandhar. Varma labelled the Ranveer Singh-starrer a "nightmare" for pan-India biggies and Bollywood, asserting it is the most discussed film in the last 50 years.
The Accusation: Industry Ignores Out of Fear
On Thursday, December 25, 2025, RGV took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle to express his views. He argued that the industry's reluctance to acknowledge Dhurandhar's success stems from a deep-seated sense of threat. The film, which continues its dominant box office run three weeks after release and is poised to enter the Rs 1000 crore club, represents a paradigm shift that existing players are unwilling to confront.
"Whenever a path breaking and monstrous hit like #dhurandhar comes, the industry people will wish to ignore it because they will feel threatened by it due to their inability to match its standards," Varma wrote. He described the film as a nightmare that traditional filmmakers hope will vanish, allowing them to return to their comfort zones.
Dhurandhar: The Monstrous Dog in the Room
RGV employed a vivid analogy to illustrate his point. He compared Dhurandhar to a large, scary dog sitting outside a house. Even if the owner says it's harmless, the visitor cannot ignore its intimidating presence. Similarly, he claimed, the shadow of Dhurandhar will "invisibly pace around" every production office where upcoming big-budget films are being planned.
"They will try their level best to even avoid uttering the dog's name, but it will keep loitering in all their minds," he stated. Varma emphasized that this is especially true for the so-called pan-India biggies currently in production, which were conceptualized based on outdated templates that Dhurandhar has effectively dismantled.
A Horror Film for Old-School Makers
Delving deeper, Ram Gopal Varma suggested that Aditya Dhar's film operates like a horror movie for proponents of the old formula. He contrasted the previous reliance on expensive VFX, lavish sets, item songs, and hero-worship with Dhurandhar's apparent focus on the film itself as the star.
"...in #dhurandhar with the film being worshipped instead of the star, they would be getting crucified in their own self-created dungeon of masala films," he tweeted. He concluded by praising Aditya Dhar for forcing the industry to look at its own work in the mirror, acknowledging the director's role in changing the future of Indian cinema.
This is not the first time Varma has hailed the film. In an earlier tweet, he stated that Dhurandhar had "completely and single-handedly" altered the trajectory of Indian cinema, a sentiment to which Aditya Dhar responded with mutual admiration for RGV's pioneering work.
