From the maker of the previous super hit nationalist war movie, Uri (2019), director Aditya Dhar, comes the next big-screen big-action, nationalist sentiment-generating 3.5 hours magnum opus, Dhurandhar (part 1).
The film is the story of Indian intelligence conceptualising a long and patient strategy of planting an undercover spy deep in the crime-politics-ISI nexus of Pakistan, with a view to bringing intelligence, as well as slowly destroying over time, the very source-code of terrorism. After being frustrated for years, at the lack of political will against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Dhurandhar, played by Ranveer Singh, a convicted prisoner, is trained to be this agent. Starting by entering the Lyari gang in Karachi, he goes on to climb the mafia ladder, infiltrating its politics, and getting to become a central figure in the crime nexus, ready to change the game in part 2, due to release in March 2026.
Judging by the box office success of the film, it is no surprise to see that the film is delivering the goods. It’s been a while since we’ve had a patriotic movie, that makes our neighbours on the West the most evil villains, takes the collective anger we feel as a society towards so many things within the country, and channels it towards something external. And of course, not-so-subtly reminding us of the ineffective Government we’ve had in the past, and how great our current leaders are. Of course, we all love to hate, and nothing like a feeling of catharsis, as we come together to beat up a common enemy.
But, it would be too short sighted to leave Dhurandhar at that. Because there are two aspects of the movie that are worth digging into.
Is it an important film? Yes.
Is it good storytelling as a movie? 6-7
First, it is an important film because it is completely different from the nationalistic-patriotic movies we’ve seen in the last few years. The films of the past have anchored the plot around war, especially around the border. The heroes are the soldiers and the people sacrificing their lives in the frontline for their motherland. The celebration is that of execution and action, and if anything the bureaucracy is painted as a hindrance to getting things done. The agency, as a result, is given to the body and the physicality of making things happen. It is muscular, it is power, it is a show of strength and aggression and passion and testosterone and adrenaline, the heady cocktail which delivers the goods at the end, and leads to the happy ending.
Dhurandhar, by contrast, does the exact opposite. The agency, is given, not to the body, but to the mind. The strength is in the strategy, that has a long term view, which ruthlessly overlooks the short term losses. The power lies in the patience, to keep at it, one day at a time, moving slowly towards the end goal, walking, not running. The muscular physical strength exists but it is metaphorically hidden behind the Pathan suits worn by the characters, not overtly displayed in Hrithik-SRK-style. The heroes are the intelligence agents and the people who are thinking and planning and plotting towards a vision of victory. Restraint is a virtue, and violence is a carefully used weapon, not an always-on mode.
The other critical reason why Dhurandhar is an important film, is because it is a manifestation of the new confident India that we are all pleasantly surprised to see emerging, (even though at times we wonder if we’re getting this right). Unlike the previous patriotic films, where India was always a victim-under-dog that fights back for revenge and justice, in Dhurandhar, India takes destiny under its control, and turns a crisis into an opportunity towards creating a new sub-contintent order, once and for all. India is no longer the ‘bechara’ in this new world, but an equal, sovereign, powerful State that is writing its own future. This gives us a very fresh and different kind of patriotic fervour that we’ve not had before. And for that we cheer and applaud the film, and as citizens of this amazing country, gives us the pride and the belief that we all need and desire.
But, now coming to the story-telling that we also need and desire from a big film of this stature. And here, I would say, we are left wanting.
The attempt at telling a Tarantino-style Chapter approach to the story is clever, but doesn’t really make an impact, since the story is quite linear, and while the maker might feel that he’s being clever in not revealing Dhurandhar’s true purpose till later, as an audience we know it from the first scene when Hamza enters the Pakistan border from Afghanistan.
The attempt at creating a John Wick-style raw blood and gore action is appreciated, but comes across as forced and unconvincing due to the actors, their body language and the lack of a consistent underlying violent under-current. There’s just too much talking and emotions, and drama for the violence to really stand out. If you want to a good Bollywood blood fest, then I highly recommend watching Kill (https://books-booze-boxoffice.blogspot.com/2025/02/kill-2023-movie-review.html).
The story-telling, while it keeps us engaged in the moment on everything that’s happening, feels a little frustratingly meandering, as we get to the latter half of the film, making us wonder why did we spend so much time engaging with the inner emotions and dealings of Rahmat Dakait and Azad Pappu, and the Baloch movement, and the intricate layers of Lyari politics. The story goes so deep into the inner workings of Karachi machinery, that we lose sight of the India purpose and emotion.
The saving grace is of course, Ranveer Singh. He is brilliant as always. The sheer menacing strength of his body, that is restrained by his even stronger mind. The anger against the enemy and the passion for his country, that is reflected only through his eyes. The power of his blows and punches that he delivers as convincingly as the hits he himself receives. The understated, patient, potent, effective Dhurandhar, could be no one else than Ranveer. And he hits it out of the park. Watch the film, if nothing else, just to watch him perform.
All in all, an enjoyable and watchable film, but with lots of unfulfilled potential. Here’s hoping that the second part picks up on the story-telling aspect of the film, so we can look back and see Dhurandhar, the complete film as one of those disruptive movies that stir us enough to be in our memories for a long time, and not just a flash in the pan that we saw, liked somewhat and then moved on. The possibilities exists. Aditya Dhar, over to you.
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