Prominent filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has shared his detailed review of the blockbuster spy thriller Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar. His critique, posted on the social platform Letterboxd, offers a mix of high praise for the film's technical craft and a pointed criticism of what he terms as "propaganda" in two specific dialogues.
Kashyap's Critique: Brilliant Filmmaking, Problematic Dialogues
While lauding the overall filmmaking, Kashyap took issue with two lines in the movie. He referenced a dialogue delivered by R. Madhavan's character Ajay Sanyal: "Ek din aisa ayega jab jo desh ke bare me koi sochaga" (A day will come when no one will think about the country). He also flagged the closing line by Ranveer Singh as Jaskirat Singh Rangi: "Ye naya India hai" (This is the new India).
Kashyap clarified that his issue is not with the core premise. "A spy cannot be a spy if he doesn't have hate and angst against the enemy state. A soldier also cannot be a soldier if he doesn't have angst against the enemy state. On those two counts I have no issues," he wrote. However, he singled out the aforementioned dialogues, stating, "Take those two aside, it's a good film. In fact a brilliant film that entirely set in Pakistan."
Praise for Aditya Dhar and Ranveer Singh's Performance
Kashyap had significant commendation for director Aditya Dhar, noting a long-standing familiarity with his work since the National Award-winning film Boond. He described Dhar's perspective as "his politics. Genuine politics." and called him an honest filmmaker, not an opportunist. "All his films are about Kashmir. He is a Kashmiri Pandit who has suffered. Either you argue with him or let him be. Filmmaking is top notch," Kashyap added.
He also drew a parallel to acclaimed Hollywood films, saying, "If you love The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty or House of Dynamite. They are Oscar-winning propaganda films about the USA. I ignored the two propaganda dialogues and loved the filmmaking and stubbornness of the filmmaker." Kashyap reserved special praise for the lead actor, calling Ranveer Singh's performance his "favourite" and highlighting its secure portrayal.
About the Film Dhurandhar
Dhurandhar is written, directed, and co-produced by Aditya Dhar. The ensemble cast features Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera, Naveen Kaushik, Danish Pandor, Saumya Tandon, and Manav Gohil.
The plot, set mainly in Pakistan, revolves around an anti-terror covert operation where an undercover agent infiltrates Karachi's underworld. While not based on a single real event, the narrative is loosely inspired by several real-life incidents including:
- The 1999 IC-814 hijacking
- The 2001 Indian Parliament attack
- The 26/11 Mumbai attacks
- Events surrounding Operation Lyari
The film, which concluded its month-long theatrical run recently, is the first part of a two-part series. Its sequel, Dhurandhar 2, is scheduled for release on 19 March this year.
