The cinematic landscape of India has been jolted by the unprecedented performance of the film 'Dhurandhar'. Defying early labels of being a propaganda piece, the movie has not just succeeded but exploded at the box office, leaving industry pundits in a state of shock. In a remarkable trend, the film's collections grew even more robustly in its second week compared to its first, breaking conventional records.
Ram Gopal Varma's Glowing Tribute to Aditya Dhar
Adding his powerful voice to the chorus of reactions, veteran filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) penned a series of detailed tweets, delivering a review that is as much an analysis as it is a manifesto. Varma directed his initial praise squarely at director Aditya Dhar, crediting him with a seismic shift.
He asserted that Dhar has "completely and single-handedly changed the future of Indian cinema, be it north or south." For RGV, 'Dhurandhar' is not merely a film but a "quantum leap." He elaborated that the achievement lies not just in scale, but in presenting a vision never before experienced, both visually and intellectually.
"Aditya Dhar doesn’t direct scenes here… he engineers the states of minds of both the characters and us audience," Varma wrote, emphasizing the immersive power of the narrative. "The film doesn’t ask for your attention.. it commands it." He described the viewing experience as one where the audience becomes an accomplice from the very first shot.
Praise for Ranveer Singh and a New Narrative Approach
In subsequent tweets, RGV dissected the unique lessons from the film. He reserved significant praise for lead actor Ranveer Singh, applauding his deep understanding of the script's demands. Varma highlighted how Singh allowed Akshaye Khanna to take the forefront where the story required it, calling this a testament to Ranveer's cinematic intellect.
He contrasted this with the norm, stating, "Unlike the other so-called pan India big films, the film doesn’t even try to elevate the hero... It actually lets his flaws and the related consequences coexist, thus making the audience tense instead of giving a clap-trap applause." This approach, according to Varma, generates genuine suspense over manufactured hero-worship.
A Warning to the Industry and a Nod to Audience Intelligence
RGV also commended the film's action sequences and background score. However, his most pointed appreciation was for how the film treats its viewers. "It trusts the audience’s intelligence unapologetically. No spoon-feeding, no emotional underlining. Meaning is discovered, not delivered," he noted.
He concluded with a stark message for the film fraternity: "DHURANDHAR’s success is not being just another BLOCKBUSTER, it is a WARNING to the film industry to GROW UP."
The review sparked further conversation when actor Paresh Rawal, who had previously criticized a film critic for her take on 'Dhurandhar', shared RGV's tweet. Rawal took an indirect jibe, writing, "Hey ramu thanks for teaching our so-called CRITICS how to review the film! Hope they Grow up!" Varma responded in his characteristic style, "Sirrrr every once in a while the industry needs a shot in the arm and AdityaDharFilms STABBED IT."
The combination of record-breaking box office numbers and such weighty endorsement from a maverick filmmaker like Ram Gopal Varma has firmly positioned 'Dhurandhar' as a watershed moment, prompting a serious re-evaluation of storytelling and audience engagement in mainstream Indian cinema.
