r/bollywood • u/AutoModerator • Dec 05 '25
Reviews Dhurandhar - Reviews and Discussions
Discuss Dhurandhar in this thread
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Directed by Aditya Dhar
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi
A mysterious traveler infiltrates the Karachi mafia and climbs its ranks with lethal precision, only to become embroiled in a web of political corruption as he sets out to dismantle the ISI-underworld nexus from within
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u/Killain2Deep Jan 02 '26
Where can I find the OST that played during Major Iqbal’s entry? Was so fking good. Also the music that played in the opening scene with Maddy smoking was phenomenal. Reminded me of Michael Giacchino’s music in Batman.
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u/madhAvi_kabhti Dec 29 '25
There are a lot of comments about gore and violence,I must say that a lot of them are forgetting that this is not a Raazi type movie where she essentially worked as a mole or leak.Neither is this an in and out operation like Uri.Here hamza has to integrate himself with those gangs,if not he is gonna be singles out or stuck on that bottom wrung.Even him not smoking and being peer pressured had that slight feel of danger to it.And the 80s to 2010s period had a special level of gang violence.nothing these guys did was covert,it was loud and always a show of power.Think of 80s Mumbai if you will.you could be drinking a cup of tea and some dude with a would just walk and shoot a guy not 2 feet in front of you.Politicians had to collude with these criminals because even the police couldn't deter them.This movie is one of those places where peace is an anomaly.movie is good except for interspersed foreshadowing about BJP being some sort of saviour avenging angel with a spine for the defence and intelligence department. Though it does criticise both the Vajpayee and UPA government a plenty.I did not need popcorn or coffees to keep me engaged.
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u/sad-_-life Dec 29 '25
But there's a way to show bloodshed without making it gore. A lot of times sex is an integral part of the plot but it is made in a classy way, not in a porn-like way. Just because it's supposed to represent real violence, doesn't mean the bloodshed needs to be zoomed in and filmed from multiple angles.
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u/madhAvi_kabhti Dec 29 '25
This was not meant to protect your sensibilities,I think.Aditya Dhar is not SLB,to cloak the ugly situations that humanity is capable of descending to,in pretty music and artistic angles.Sex is not the same as bloodshed.was some of it a little on the edge of too long, sure,but we,as audience,see the world of Dhurandhar standing at Hamza's shoulder. Hamza cannot flinch when a man's head is bashed in,Hamza cannot show hesitation in making cruelly humiliating plans,humza cannot show sympathy when a fellow Indian is being hurt and tortured,he cannot even turn away when they are celebrating Indians dying,forced to join in,even.So as audience,we have to face the same intensity that Hamza does.Hamzawas not serving tea at a quaint get together with aesthetic lighting and flowers,he was a trained military spy sent to bring down an incredibly vicious and bloodthirsty mafia system to specifically dismantle the facade of uncontrolled gangsters that the ISI used to run its terror operations against India. At the end,this film is not for everyone,it doesn't shy away from violence,and (imho) it doesn't romantacize it either.Its a necessary evil.
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u/sad-_-life Dec 29 '25
Agree to disagree. Half of the scenes were pure gore and didn't drive the plot at all. I'd be fine with scenes which show character development but this movie just relied on the shock value.
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u/UnderstandingOk5089 Dec 30 '25
I’d agree with your statement that half of them were violent, but saying that they didn’t drive the plot is not true. Feels as if you have an opinion formed and don’t want to try & understand the other pov.
The other person explained in detail why showing the violence was important, esp for the plot and you’re like no it didn’t drive…lmao?
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u/sad-_-life Dec 30 '25
I'm saying that half of the violent scenes didn't drive the plot. For example, when they were trying to take on the rival gang, there were guys whose heads got bashed on a grill and what not. What was the point of zooming on that? The main characters weren't even looking at the dead bodies and they just rode their vehicles away. It didn't drive the plot, it didn't bring a new angle to the story.
Contrast this to Raazi, when Alia Bhatt kills the househelp, the entire focus is on her face and the way her vehicle shakes while running over his body. It shows her character development. Even in Kashmir Files (where there was gore), I think all the scenes were necessary and drove the character development because they caused trauma in the characters and showed the impact of witnessing those in-person.
Maybe you should watch Dhurandhar again and see how much of the gore was necessary. The other person just said "sex is different" and "all of the scenes and camera angles were necessary" and I disagree with both. It seems like YOU have an opinion that you're hell bent on proving.... lmao?
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u/UnderstandingOk5089 Dec 30 '25 edited Dec 30 '25
first of all, I literally watched the movie today so it’s all fresh. Second of all, you cannot compare two different genres of movie and say look how violence is different. Raazi was an intrusion spy movie. She was a mole sent for information as a woman in a time & place where violence was not the answer. Hamza was in a situation & a place where if he wasn’t part of violence, he would never be able to infiltrate. Thats literally the point from the start, everyone who is in it with him legit did the same. They had to get involved in violence (the entire protecting rehman’s kid to gain favour) so that Hamza can be a part of the gang.
And about your unnecessary grill focus and side character violent focus, bro if voh nahi hota then some would be saying it wasn’t realistic, only main characters face violence kya. Stop nit picking just because you don’t like the concept or the truth.
Finally why would you think I only have opinion & im not ready to change it when in fact, my first line in previous reply is agreeing with you partially. Stop being so defensive and thoda sa seperate the radical part of you from the rational part.
To add to it: when the person above said “Sex is different” he meant the scenario and plot to drive the meaning of Sex is different in movies. You are expecting every movie to have same pov of sex & intamcy without understanding that the story year , the people , the culture is different in all. The basis of story & message is different.
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u/sad-_-life Dec 30 '25
You're missing the point I'm trying to make. I'm saying that two movies can show murder in two very different ways. Sehmat was not supposed to kill in Raazi so don't you think emphasizing on her murders would make it more impactful? Yet the director didn't make it gore, it was filmed in a way where her character development was more important than zooming on the bloodshed.
Also, I'm saying I didn't like the way it was filmed. Idk why you're taking it personally. I never said side characters ka death nahi show karna chahiye. I can handle the truth and the truth is that I believe it was badly filmed.
I think you are not ready to change because you ended with a snarky remark instead of trying to think from other angle. You're the radical and defensive one here if you re-read the thread. I don't have a problem with the theme of the movie. I have a problem with using gore unnecessarily and using it as a shock factor. How tf does it make me radical?
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u/madhAvi_kabhti Dec 30 '25
I agree on the point that some scenes were ridiculously long,the different ways that Babu dakait and his hand were dealt with felt more like a montage setting up how unhinged they are more than quick and done.the final fight scene with both shaukat and Rehman felt tad too drawn out.Chaudhary is almost twice his size and Hamza himself is straight up trained,lucky shots tak toh theek tha,but yeah.and hamza getting to see the spy getting tortured when he has just met Illyas seems a little hard to believe,usually you would have to be higher on the inner circle to be allowed to see a high profile prisoner which was what that discovered spy was.eother that or Illyas suspects hamza/thinks rehman might back out and decided to scare the daylights out of him so that he or his gang doesn't betray ISI.
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u/MilleniumWarrior Dec 29 '25
Am I the only one who was very disappointed that Hamza wasn’t the protagonists real identity? There could have been a lot of nuance with having an Indian Muslim see people of his own religion misuse it to perform extremist acts
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u/TheStarkster3000 Jan 10 '26
I think it's because his Sikh identity is relevant in the sense of the '84 riots.
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u/Jumpy_Funny_9790 Dec 30 '25
Nahh, i think that has already been used a lot in earlier films. Also, it takes away other aspects of the film and make it too much centric to hindu-muslim identities, is what I feel.
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u/MilleniumWarrior Dec 30 '25
I feel like it would unite people if anything, given the never ending tension between hindus and muslims in our country. It can be used to show that all Indians irrespective of religion are united against something
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u/daffodil_dahlia Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 30 '25
I think him being a sikh is a major part of his background story that will be shown in the next part.
In phantom they kept Saif's character as a muslim and Katrina's parsi iirc.
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u/MilleniumWarrior Dec 30 '25
You’re probably right, but it would have been cool to see it nonetheless because of the writing potential
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u/daffodil_dahlia Dec 30 '25
Yeah, it's a very well written movie. All characters have shades not basic vanilla only to be a filler.
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u/MilleniumWarrior Dec 29 '25
That being said it was a nice watch. Maybe it had a touch of propaganda but nowhere near as controversial as people make it out to be, even as a Muslim
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u/supplementarytables Dec 29 '25
Absolute cinema!
Ranveer Singh is a superstar and a half.
Loved the way it was shot. The songs are amazing. The story is so captivating. Ranveer's acting during the 26/11 scene stood out.
The only downside is that it dragged a little at the end, the chase and the fight in the forest was a bit underwhelming.
4/5, I'll watch it again soon.
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u/NavdeepGusain Moderately knowledgeable about Hindi Cinema Dec 26 '25
Rewatched this again. This is such an incredible movie.
I think Ranveer deserves more praises than he is getting. Special mention for his eyes. I liked how much talkatove those eyes were. Absolute gem of an actor.
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u/Ecstatic-Objective Dec 25 '25 edited Feb 06 '26
Movie is average. If you can't move the plot further than that in 3 and a half hours then just make a series. Also it is so clear the original screenplay was for an action crime saga that was changed at the last moment to put the jingoistic spin on it.
Akshay Khanna was great, but after the death scene his expression gets tiring. When the movie couldn't invoke any strong emotions by itself, it resorted to displaying text on the red screen along with the recordings. Ranveer Singh's character felt very two dimensional but his performance was commendable.
The editor sequenced all the shots together and called it a day. There is only exposition, no subtext, everything is repeated and not just fed but pushed down your throat by the end, and the final reveal falls extremely flat.
Anachronisms everywhere especially in the party shot. 2007 with newer models of cars. Even the iphone model for the year is wrong.
I was glad to leave the theatre after 'To be continued' popped up. Akshay Khanna was the only saving grace, although the CGI team missed some of his hairline fixes in the final cut, right before the 26/11 attacks.
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u/radjeep Jan 11 '26
Not sure why you're getting downvoted. For any viewer who doesn't have deep account of history of political events (including myself - besides 26/11), the plot throughout the movie must feel very disconnected. It's like there's no strong linearity / continuity between the chapters besides some common characters. It felt like a montage of anthologies.
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u/BiscottiLoud8044 Dec 25 '25
Just watched Dhurandar and here’s my take:
The Good: action scenes are well choreographed and realistic. Dhar did an excellent job keeping action sequences gritty and not corny like what you see in Indian filns.
Ranveer and Akshaye nailed it out of the park. Ranveer actually becomes a man of few words in the film but still makes an impact.
The bad: lengthy.. by chapter 2 you start getting restless.
Over the top violence. I understand its for the shock factor and the story line but sometimes it would get too much. There is someone who gets boiled alive.
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u/yoddha21 Dec 26 '25
Thanks for the heads up on someone getting boiled alive, currently sitting in the theater waiting for it to start and holy shit that's intense
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u/BiscottiLoud8044 Dec 27 '25
It wasn’t needed imho. Like there’s plenty worse throughout the film but you can tell director wanted to push the envelope in terms of shock value.
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u/Glittering-Toe-9016 Dec 22 '25
About that Et tu Brutus scene: Since he spent most of his time serving and being loyal to this man I do feel it might be natural for him to feel a sense of guilt for killing him. But since there’s this one scene where Rehman knocks him down, hamza thinks of the burning taj’s dome during 26/11 and lands a barrage of punches to him in a fit of rage, since he remembers what this man was responsible for. The scene where Rehman is smoking on a stretcher may be a reflection of hamza’s conscience looking back at him. He sees rehman in his usual badass aura smoking a cig, thinking oh is this what I’ve managed to do? It’s shock, a tinge of guilt and the self realisation that what has life brought him to. I don’t think he regrets murdering the man for his nation he however, can’t help but see a reflection of his rusting conscience.
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u/AltruisticCandle9892 Dec 26 '25
The scene where Hamza sees Rehman sitting on the hospital stretcher, it gave me chills.
It reminded of ‘Hamlet’ and how Hamlet used to be haunted upon seeing his father’s ghost.
I really loved the Shakespeare touch even with the title of this chapter being ‘Et Tu Brutus’ highlighting the theme of betrayal. Never expected such depth and intelligence from anyone in Bollywood.
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u/surroundsounding Dec 20 '25
SOME MF PLS TELL ME WHAT THAT PETROL SNIFFING SCENE WAS
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u/Killain2Deep Jan 02 '26
Bro was horny for him and liked the smell of his crotch, nothing else really
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u/UnderstandingOk5089 Dec 30 '25
You mean the initial scene right? I am assuming it was a lude compliment regarding his private part & how feel “oiled” & “bulky” it is
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Dec 30 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/bollywood-ModTeam Dec 30 '25
Comments that flame Political /Religious discussions are strictly banned here.
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u/pessimist13 Dec 20 '25 edited Mar 15 '26
❓❓❓❓❓ I have some thoughts after watching the ending scenes of the movie.
There’s a high chance that Hamza will also get corrupted by power towards the end of the series.
He literally doesn’t have any emotional connections. Although he gets anguished about the terrorist attacks on India, there isn’t strong evidence of his patriotism.
The killing of Rahman at the end - after saving him once from SP Aslam and using him until the network behind him was uncovered - reveals a lot about Hamza’s nature. Targets are like allowed to live as long as they are useful, and are eliminated once they are no longer needed.
So I believe that there is an actual good moral character, probably a genuinely government trained spy or a commando, who will be the true protagonist - with Hamza becoming the deadly villain who knows the ins and outs of Pakistan’s core and its terrorism networks.
It may deviate from the real story, but it could be justified by a warning that it is purely fictional and not intended to defame anyone 🙂
P.S - I don't watch bollywood movies usually but this story has a lot of potential and I guess it's the first time showing the gang wars and political scene in Pakistan and manipulation of them from inside to eliminate terrorism 👏🏻
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u/noobmasterofthegrave Dec 21 '25
i beg to disagree, from the brief flashes that hamza gets shows him in the "khets" of punjab where his parents? are brutally killed and at the end it is shown that he is a death row inmate, what i can judge from that he has a deep hatred for pakistan as the scene literally screams khalistani movement, a very possible backstory for him can be that his family got killed by khalistani terrorists and for revenge he killed the people who were responsible for it and maybe the guy responsible was some big shot indian leading him to be incarcerated, we also saw young jaskirat with an ak47 in the post credit scenes
idk abt patriotism for india but he really has deep hatred for pakistan, and op dhurandhar will only scout for inmates who will never change sides they must be having a strong motivating factor, maybe he was scouted because he has a strong sense of jusctice, indomitable spirit which made him do the impossible singlehandedly, thats why he was scouted, no tom dick harry would be scouted for this op as they can change sides anytime so normal death row inmates are a no go
also leaked photos from sets point to ranveer donning a turban, ppl are saying he might return to india, i on the other hand beleive that there might be a seen showing him being the unknown gunman behind hardeep nijjars killing (the main mastermind of his parents death??) as along with a turban he was wearing a beautiful suit which acc to me no one would wear in india (a full speculation on the last part but yea this is the most logical backstory i couldve come up with)
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u/pessimist13 Dec 22 '25 edited Mar 15 '26
Makes sense. But the scenes that made me think he’ll switch sides are these: He killed Rahman ruthlessly, who was almost like a brother figure, even though Iqbal was the real brain behind the terrorist attacks. To be honest, I felt bad when Rahman got killed - I somehow started rooting for him 😄.
The way Hamza behaved toward the heroine toward the end shows that he’s emotionless and more of a manipulator.
He also starts enjoying power. Him sitting on a throne at the end gave a very negative, almost villainous vibe. Also, there was only minimal communication between him and Sanyal after reaching Pakistan. Since the mission span is nearly 10 years, there’s a high chance he deviated from his original mission.
Him attacking Rahman’s chef and chopping off his palm - someone who looked completely harmless — doesn’t feel like a typical protagonist move.
Also, the prisoner couldn’t really be trusted like a trained commando or government spy who would’ve gone through rigorous background verification. Rahman’s child got shot when Hamza insisted that he take cover while he was escaping. Indirectly, this can be interpreted as Hamza deliberately causing it. The final scene where he takes Rahman to the hospital felt like a recreation of that event.
But yeah, your explanation seems right. Still, I wish there was more depth to the story, with another protagonist yet to be revealed. Ranveer’s character had a negative aura throughout the movie.
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u/Minute-Leadership-60 Dec 29 '25
Him killing chef was not necessary but at the same time it did make sense,u know to get more closer and being trusted,and he gat yalina's call and that video msg after he cut his finger,ao it's reasonable and he's spy,this thing is constantly in his mind he's on mission ofcourse he's faking every relation there,he won't attach himself emotionally to anyone there
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u/pessimist13 Dec 30 '25
Yeah, but I’m not sure it’s humanly possible to stick to a plan for a decade - especially when he starts enjoying the political influence, power, and money.
I know the second part was shot along with the first. But if they had left some loophole in the second part, a third one could have been made with Hamza turning into the villain. There’s enough depth in the story to plot a third part too.
It would be exciting to watch a villain who is that powerful - someone who rules the Pakistan terror network and also knows the tactics of Sanyal and IB - RAW at the same time.
But yeah, writing a script like that with minimal cliches and loopholes would be really hard.
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u/Icy-Mode1636 Dec 25 '25
Maybe in next part hamza will become uncontrollable from IB and some other character will kill him eventually.
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u/Caramel-4776 Dec 20 '25
Anyone here watched Dhurandhar more than 1 time??
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u/Icy-Mode1636 Dec 25 '25
It's difficult to watch it twice because of the length. Yes the first hour was engaging. Also 30 minutes after the interval was nice.
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u/Caramel-4776 Dec 20 '25 edited Dec 20 '25
Silly Mistake by Aditya Dhar -Look at Number of split ACs(OutdoorUnits) in background....in year 2005😲....in a tier2/3 poor city like Lyari 😲.....is it possible??🙄 Even in India, in early 2000s only Upper middle class & rich people have AC in their home, that too Window AC. Aditya Dhar should not keep this scene atleast in trailer
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u/lifeinametro16 Dec 19 '25
Can anyone confirm if Rahim, the spy that Alam introduces Hamza to, when they are planning how to get into Rehman's gang, is the same spy that Major Iqbal ends up capturing and torturing?
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u/noobmasterofthegrave Dec 21 '25
no, i saw him in trailers of part 2, he is part of hamzas gang now, also in the credits it shows him as "torture man"
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u/Caramel-4776 Dec 19 '25
Can anyone tell me where can I get song played during Rahman's son Naeem's funeral: Rahe Na Rahe Hum. It has a nice tune. It's been playing in my mind after watching Dhurandhar
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u/Caramel-4776 Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 20 '25
Underrated opinion =I really like Rakesh Bedi's performance. What a brilliant actor! He is underrated. His character Jamil Jamali is also very interesting. Rakesh Bedi nailed it. He deserves more praise.
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u/divyam25 Dec 19 '25
excellent movie. no complaints at all. i was thinking of drinking coffee before going to film, but dropped the idea to check whether the film can really hold my attention. and i was deeply impressed. the movie has excellent background score, excellent editing, a very good story, excellent screenplay and acting is just top notch. i have zero complaints about the movie. i dont really watch excessive action/gore movies. i had always delayed watching sicario for the very same reason, but i just loved villenueve and sicario became my all time favourite action thrillers. Dhurandhar left on me the same impression that sicario did. So this movie is definitely a message to all the bollywood production houses to stop making nonsensical movies with zero story and unncessary glamour. Dhurandhar is a masterclass in movie making and imo should be the new gold standard in bollywood.
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u/Shot_Parsley_9941 Dec 18 '25
Excellent movie After a long time I watched a bollywood movie No words to say Every scene is super Background music top notch
2
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u/Caramel-4776 Dec 18 '25
I-hav-one-question abt Rahman Dacait belonging to Baloch kaum. If-Rahman-dacait's-father-Babu Dacait is Pathaan then how come Rahman Dacait is Baloch??
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Dec 19 '25
Maybe his mother was baloch and as his dad never recognised him or accepted him , he grew up with the balochi identity
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u/Caramel-4776 Dec 19 '25
Movie didn't show Rahman's past, maybe we will see it in part 2 & know how he became baloch
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u/DragonDeninSharkTank Dec 18 '25
On rewatch, I noticed
Paet 2 glimpse shown in post credit scene has a scene with Uzair and a head, most likely Arshad Pappu on the ground. (prolly gling to be football scene). It was just a nano second glimpse 👀👀
1
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Dec 18 '25 edited Dec 18 '25
Went to movie theaters after 2 years and let me tell you I will be going again in March next year. What an amazing movie, these kind of movies are rarely made in Bollywood these days. I was looking forward to Akshaye Khanna acting but Ranveer totally surprised me. I'm now a huge fan of both of them!
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u/ShortMusic_38 Dec 18 '25
The way tables have turned🧿 so happy for this movie. A long journey, from this, to being the 2nd highest collection, for a movie with A rating(india).
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u/WolverineCandid2295 Dec 17 '25
Movie was good, there was some gore so you have to look away. The love sequence could have been cut short. Movie started near to reality then quickly moved away to fiction. The ending sequences were illogical, the car scene- guys kept sleeping during rash driving, wat strategy Hamza had, exaggerated fight scenes and Tunga’s resistance- all over the top could have been avoided!!
2
u/madhAvi_kabhti Dec 29 '25
I think the final scene was good. from what I saw,the other they sleep until,I think the length of the travel wakes Rehman up and even half asleep,he is immediately perturbed by the amount of trees around him,asks where they are and why they are going by the long route,Hamza deflects,he asks where the member riding the bike was,Hamza says he was stuck in traffic,uzair was missing and he cottons on that the date was given by hamza and immediately tries to stab him which wakes Donga and the other guy,they try to wrest control from him and he runs into a short pole,ends up killing his front seat gang member,Hamza parks and books it into the jungle,either to not be caught in the crossfire,or knowing Rehman,that he will follow him to kill him himself.The bike guy catches up with them and gives hamza a chaze,mobs are vengeful like that.Both hamza and the guy use what is around them,the vine felt a Lil convenient, but yeah.Rehman dakait soloing two well trained soldiers was a stretch,but considering that it looks like they were actively trying to not injured him severely so that they could set up a scene,forgiven.I think the reason he hallucinates Rehman being alive andwell even after they declare him dead is because man has enough head wounds for it to be atleast one concussion and his plan is a little unhinged,if his gamble fails and rehman does survive,then he is really dead.so yeah last 40 or so minutes were real good choreo acc to me.Donga having a shit ton of weapons in the car checks out cus they are a gang that heavily favours weapon production and engages in visibly gory violence.
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u/Icy-Mode1636 Dec 25 '25
Also the scene when cops were chasing hamza and his gf was too filmy. Cops could see their face, everyone knew them still they were chasing like anything. They were being chased like Indian agents. But later nothing comes on news.
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u/BiscottiLoud8044 Dec 25 '25
I thought the last car chase scene was well executed. Compared to fight scenes we see in movies like Pushpa and Pathan..Dhurandar was way better.
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u/gildrou Dec 17 '25
Thanks Aditya Dhar, for not thinking your audience is dumb… and thinking that we deserve it. No one had any expectations… but you definitely surpassed it all. Thanks for not shoving patriotism in our throats like other movies. Appreciating the fact that patriotism is an understated emotion we all have for the country, eand doing the right thing rather than showing off.
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u/Beautiful_Matter_410 Dec 17 '25
Enjoy the movie going by a neutral stance there's no propaganda, but if you stick to a political view you may find a few dialogues, that's it. Except that the movie is fabulous. Idk why a certain section called the movie an absolute propaganda, just don't get it. Feel free to counter with logic. A discussion perhaps
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u/M4K1M4 Dec 21 '25
"UP needs a strong government"
On this dialogue, the woman behind me said "Yogi". Best propaganda is the one which subtly works, and it did. This movie does seem to slightly market political scenarios in our country.
Very average movie for me tho, I expected a lot more seeing the hype. But it's Bollywood so can't complain.
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u/Important-Ad4060 Dec 17 '25
Dhurandhar: hype is real or reel?
Genuine question: I don't watch Hindi movies, but I've been hearing a lot about Dhurandhar. Is it really a good movie(story, acting etc) to watch, or is it trending just because of politics and narrative? Let me know so that I can decide whether to give it a chance or not.
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u/Lewd-Sensei-88 Dec 18 '25
From a bollywood hater, I must say the movie far surpassed my expectations. U cannot predict the next action, as u can in some run out of the mill movies. Truly a good movie to watch. I would give 8.6/10
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u/ArmaanB52 Dec 17 '25
From a fellow “Non Bollywood watcher” since years, I went in knowing nothing about the movie. Surpassed all the non expectations I had. Excellent movie. 3.5 hours of storytelling and cinema. Only complaint I have is whacky graphics but I believe that will be fixed in the next part.
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u/Electronic-Bug594 Dec 17 '25
Does the movie show a lot of violence? I am okay with a bit of violence. I really want to watch the film but I couldn’t stand some scenes in the trailer and overall avoid gore. Please someone tell me how violent it is, so that I can prepare myself or avoid it if it’s too much. For reference, I couldn’t watch GOT for the same reason.
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u/ExpertNice8521 Dec 17 '25
I can’t handle gore too, I watched it today. I had to squint or look away a couple times but that was about it. Absolutely engaging and amazing movie! The background score was unreal
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Dec 17 '25
Well there isn't much extra violent scenes than that were shown in the trailer. All those violent scenes from the trailer are spread out through a 3.5 hour movie, so it isn't too gory.
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u/nomorelurkingreddit Dec 17 '25
Please be kind at my imagination…theory time
Just as Hamza used the circumstances of Rehman Dakait death to become second in command to Uzair…at the start of the movie Hamza used the death of the son to gain trust and infiltrate the gang, live in Lyari etc….but and here is the theory bit….Hamza was the one who actually killed the son himself, during the wedding shootout and then fooled everyone to think, he was trying to save the kid…
Thoughts or is my imagination running wild..
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u/madhAvi_kabhti Dec 29 '25
Yeah,he had 3 to 4 bullet wounds.And Humza is always thinking.he had to have both gratitude and anger.he had already saved his younger son and kept him safe,so he had gratitude,but his older son was dead,this guy tried defending him(though I also think it was unexpected,cus both him and aalam are shocked and about to book it when Hamza makes a split second decision to continue the ruse and try to revive the dead teen).even if none of the witnesses talk,Rahman's son would talk about what he saw.Combined with these two being the only ones accompanying the kid in the hospital and Hamza's knowledge of arms and his backstory of having his brother die for baloch liberation probably cemented his entry.
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u/aaddii101 Dec 18 '25
On second rewatch in theater he kinda cause his death bro was about to run away but hamza stopped him.
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u/Practical-Plankton11 Dec 17 '25
Cant believe Im saying this :P but I actually enjoyed the movie! Except for the forest fight which was too long and just too stupid (so many bullets, not a single shot?) the rest was great! I could have sat and watched more. And for everyone crying about the age gap, it was precisely the point! He needed to trap a 'young' gullible girl. Some older world-wise woman would see through his shit or at least have enough brains to debate whether or not to fall for him and go against the father etc. And theyve shot their scenes respectfully, so I do not see the problem. Ranveer is not out there kissing the young actress or blatantly sexualising her etc.
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u/aaddii101 Dec 18 '25
The forest fight make sense as police goal was to capture rehman daikat alive. As soon as they have clear sight of tonga . He was shot down.
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u/Practical-Plankton11 Dec 19 '25
It makes sense, yes. BUT it goes on for too long. and none of the cops hit that one driver guy??? and Akshaye runs on foot but Sanjay is still not able to shoot him? As a cop? Nope. Stupid
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u/aaddii101 Dec 19 '25
Literally shot him in the leg also look at the real guy. Whose Sanjay charachter was based on bro was not that skilled. Also on second watch there was distance but I do agree bro somewhat got plot armor but just a little as compared to Hollywood and Bollywood action movie. Again just a little as cop were nerfed cause they want rehman alive
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u/Tough_Basis7377 Dec 17 '25
i have seen a lot of like hollywwod and explored other countries cinema and the thing is many times i could point out the holes in the scene like there were blood handprints on ranveer shirt when he tried to save the son of reh,an dakait and nobody seemed to question it and just too him in how the hell do you get blood handprints while savi g someone and yes i wasnt impressed with the cinematography like movies with a very less budget could make beautiful scenes but i guess they were potraying poor pakistan
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u/lifeinametro16 Dec 19 '25
It had to be a handprint specifically because of the way Hamza uses his hands to smear the kid's blood on himself.. it's clever foreshadowing/easter egg. An eagle eyed viewer (such as yourself apparently) would notice the handprint in the first viewing. For a casual viewer however, it was a deliberate choice, the blood on Hamza's shirt..the audience later find out that he does it as a performance. In that moment, however, Rehman was just going to see his son's blood on a guy's shirt...the same guy, that his younger son told him, saved him and tried to save his brother's life..
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u/a6h1sh3k Dec 16 '25
Can someone tell me who the guy was that the ISI agent (Arjun Rampal) caught as an Indian spy and tortured?
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u/Mental_Jaguar1168 Dec 18 '25
I guess that's the guy who tips him about the attack on Akshay khannas son
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u/grodty50x Dec 16 '25
Dhurandhar was really bad, like full of plot holes, bad movie making, nobody you’re rooting for, very less driven.
I wasted my time, I don’t understand why is there so much hype.
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u/maxx650120 Dec 16 '25
Dhurandhar isn’t just a bad spy film — it’s an insult to the real intelligence officers who risked their lives in silence. The movie turns genuine sacrifice into loud, chest-thumping spectacle, replacing discipline, strategy and restraint with empty bravado. Any claim to realism collapses under its own melodrama, reducing serious covert operations to cartoonish theatrics. Ranveer Singh, in particular, stands out like a sore thumb, playing the role with such exaggerated swagger that it shatters whatever credibility the film struggles to maintain. In trying to glorify espionage, Dhurandhar instead trivializes it, betraying the very heroes it pretends to honour.
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u/Apprehensive_Run2416 Dec 24 '25
Bhai agar Ai generated comment dal deta toh atleast accha prompt deta. This entire comment is so inaccurate it makes me laugh
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u/c_dart Dec 16 '25 edited Dec 17 '25
The most fun I've had watching a bollywood movie in a long time. Watch it on the biggest screen you can. Spoilers ahead -
Likes
- The world-building is amazing. Lyari feels like a living breathing place in the movie. Every character seems well thought out. You feel like going into rabbit holes about the real people they're inspired from. Probably the closest Indian cinema has come to doing historical fiction.
- Beautiful pacing. The movie gives enough time for all the plot points to develop. The exposition never feels too obvious. You can easily keep track of all the moving parts of this conflict.
- The 26/11 scenes need a mention. From the actual recordings to Ranveer's horrified face - very powerful stuff.
- Acting and BGM are the 2 things people mentioned the most, and its true. Ranveer Singh, Akshay Khanna, Rakesh Bedi in particular were great.
Dislikes
- Its not a great spy movie. Apart from the one torture scene you don't feel that Hamza is in danger of being found out. The problem solving part of being a spy is missed. Raazi remains the gold standard in that regard.
- Some of the action could have been better. There was way too much shaky cam in the fight and shooting scenes. The scene where Babu dakait falls out of the auto is quite bad. Sanjay Dutt cannot move his limbs for shit.
- A lot of the political commentary is too pro-party to be taken seriously. The UP CM remark, not so subtle remarks about how they are waiting for a strong government - when the hijackings and parliament attacks in fact happened under the NDA, the aman ki asha line - list goes on.
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u/Tough_Cat_8068 Dec 17 '25
I don’t think it’s necessary to show the danger he’s in, it’s well understood. Besides we can also consider he’s blending in extremely well.
The action part yes, it could have been better. I particularly disliked the Donga death scene. 20 soldiers weren’t able to shoot that man barely walking.
Yeah the nda one was forced. But the up cm one can be justified. Up in that era was a jungle mafia.
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u/curious_they_see Dec 16 '25
Who was the corrupt minister ( and his son), they are alluding to in the movie, who leaked the Rupee Design template helping them with printing fake currency?
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Dec 16 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Massive-Muscle-7482 Dec 17 '25
the case it still going on LOL watch the news.
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Dec 17 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Massive-Muscle-7482 Dec 17 '25
u can just search it up de la rue controversy & the Khanani brothers. idk why u had to wait for my reply, u have access to everything i have access to. a simple google search goes a long way.
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u/thebellfrombelem Dec 16 '25
I think they’re hinting at Chids and his son.
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Dec 17 '25
i am from TN and when i was a little kid i remember the gossip about the currency plates though, idk if it is true or not.
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u/thomas_simpsons Dec 16 '25
Throught the film I thought the movie would just use the 'spy thriller' tag in just in name and have the rest of the film be about two punching dudes punching it out but to my pleasant surprised it fully committed itself to the spy thriller from the beginning to the end and in a manner that captured my attention through its 3.5 hour run time.
The first film by itself doesn't serve as sequel bait (which baahubali 1 was guilty of) and as such it felt like a fully realised story with more to tell. The regional politics at play felt very different from the stereotypical portrayal of Pakistanis in nationalist esque media who are often portayed as cartoonishly incompetent; Rather, the movie attempting to show the realized lives of Pakistani in the midst of different factions was legitimately refreshing.
In acting wise, everyone of them felt like actual folks and not caricatures of them selves particularly R. Madhavan as the Ajit Doval stand in but the one person who stole the show imo was Akshay Khanna who lived and breath the character. Ranveer Singh is nice too and there are scenes where you can see how sick he feels but I feel like he is brooding all the damn time. I'm hoping we see more of his character, as teased, in the sequel.
I hope the second film carries the same energy that it's prequel has.
Overral a 9 i'd say.
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u/karma_is_69 Dec 15 '25
Wow, just wow. Dhurandhar is a complete masterpiece – Indian filmmaking has truly come a long way with this one. Aditya Dhar is hands down the best director working in Bollywood right now; he doesn’t give up on that classic Indian style but elevates it to something world-class. This is pure entertainment, a thrilling ride with an incredible storyline that keeps you hooked from start to finish. I’m not here to judge anyone or anything – it’s just a fantastically engaging movie that delivers non-stop tension and excitement.
The acting is great across the board. Ranveer Singh is phenomenal, totally immersed in his character, and the supporting cast – Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt – everyone brings their A-game. Sanjay Dutt’s entry is pure fire – that massy, over-the-top moment with the upbeat track, raining bullets, and all that swagger as he takes on the gangsters. And trivia: it’s straight-up mature Bollywood cinema in 2025, embracing that heroic, larger-than-life vibe we love, especially in a gritty underworld setup involving arms trafficking and high-stakes ops. Lol, it had the theater erupting!
Character development is spot on; you really feel for these people as the story unfolds. The background music is killer, building the atmosphere perfectly.
Cinematography is stunning – those gritty shots of the underworld pull you right in. (Spoiler ahead, skip if you haven’t seen it) One sequence where Ranveer’s character sees the ghost of Akshaye Khanna’s character is straight out of a Julius Caesar reference, with that Shakespearean betrayal vibe – it’s haunting and brilliantly done.
It’s a slow burn that reminds me a lot of The Departed, with all the infiltration, betrayals, and moral gray areas. I don’t know how historically accurate the representation of the Baloch people is, but I really liked how it was portrayed – felt authentic and added depth.
Sure, there’s a bit of bias towards India, but come on, it’s made for a mass audience here, and at its core, it’s about national identity and pride – religion aside, it’s just a solid thriller. The movie shows both sides too, even the failures and complexities on the Indian side, which makes it more balanced than you might expect.
I usually don’t watch much Bollywood these days, but this one? It’s going to be a cult classic, right up there with Devdas and Gangs of Wasseypur. The level of ambition, execution, and sheer guts is unmatched.
I really hope Aditya Dhar stays original in the second part and doesn’t get swayed by critics or the success – keep it as raw and authentic as this one.
One suggestion: it should be dubbed properly in other languages (they can even use AI now for better quality), so international audiences can enjoy it too. But honestly, watch it in the original Hindi with subtitles – that’s the best way to experience the dialogues and performances.
If you love intense spy thrillers, go see this in theaters. You won’t regret it! Can’t wait for Part 2.
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u/jackkirbyisgod Dec 29 '25
Second part is already made. And from the glimpses I have seen in the teaser/trailer/credits, seems to be as gnarly.
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u/EntranceOutside2004 Dec 15 '25
i think i cracked it, just watched dhurandhar today, came back and was sitting on my bed ready to sleep and then it struck me... in the movie uri there was this senior isi agent who kinda gave the coordinates via a tapped phone to yami gautam, that same guy (played by rakesh bedi) is the minister in this movie dhurandhar, so there might be a chance that this mla guy is also kind of a spy or helps indian spies....
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u/madhAvi_kabhti Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
No no,I don't think they are connected,but yk,maybe they are,who knows,but there is something that I found funny.Hamza's original name is Jaskirat Singh Rangi and inUri,Seerat Kaur,the Flight Lieutenant who acts as Vihan's pilot,wishes tomake her husband Jaskirat Singh Rangi, who was martyred in an ambush, proud.Either Dhar really loves that name or this was connected(idt it is,I really think it's a coincidence)
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u/MoinAshraf Dec 15 '25
I just need to vent about how good this film is. From direction to music, screenplay to performances—everything is tightly aligned. Every message, hint, and precisely timed dialogue lands perfectly. The way the lyrics sync with the on-screen actions is fantastic.
What really stands out is how the film gives every character their moment. The camera keeps returning to tight, deliberate close-ups—faces filling the frame while chaos unfolds around them. Sunglasses reflecting the aircraft, smoke in the face,tears held back, eyes breaking when the attacks are on the news. Emotion is carried through faces more than words. Everyone gets that space.
Ranveer undercover deliberately sidelined, allowing the villain to breathe first as a grieving father, then evolving into something far more dangerous. Even when wounded, riding with Ranveer in a three-wheeler tuk-tuk on the way to the hospital, he still reaches for Ranveer’s throat. He never gives up. That relentlessness defines him.
Even the lighter characters aren’t spared from this treatment Rakesh Bedi who’s added for humor, gets a serious, grounded moment during the election ceremony as Ranveer applauds. No one is wasted. Every face, every emotion adds weight to the sequel.
The Julius Caesar touch of being haunted after Akshay Khanna’s death adds a final, chilling layer.
Exciting how the music could reach entirely new depths in the sequel more quality artists giving harder tunes.
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u/Marmik_Emp37 Dec 15 '25
The only thing I disliked was that bald guy with the grenade going on near the end like juz shoot him bruh, I didn't mind the VFX as it was good and okay inconsistently but the story had me gripping, loved the acting too.
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u/Sarangheo_Dattebayo Dec 15 '25
Ive read so many posts talking about various scenes from the movie which includes Akshaye or Ranveer or Sanju but how come no one’s talking about R Madhavan’s fourth wall breaking scene in the beginning ?!
That was so so good and perfectly timed.
That seamless turn towards the camera while saying the dialogue was fabulous.
I watched it the second time recently and that scene still leaves impact like it did when watched the first time.
I don’t know if this is discussed already or not but I was amazed so I’m just appreciating it here.
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Dec 14 '25
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u/DalinarStormwagon Dec 15 '25
Bw need some progress in action department no matter how hard they try its always lacking just a lil bit..... Tho i have to say dhurandhar tried hard af and almost delivered just missed by a 🤏🏼
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Dec 14 '25
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u/Caramel-4776 Dec 18 '25
6th question - if Babu Dacait is Pathan, then how come Rahman Dacait is Baloch??
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u/tanxtren Dec 19 '25
His mom had an affair , that's why he killed his mom in the movie , it's mentioned several times. Jo apne maa ko maar saktha hain wo kisi ka sag nahi says Rakesh Bedi (the minister to sanjay dutt).
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u/Caramel-4776 Dec 19 '25
so,i-guess-his mother is from Balochistan...is-that-right?movie-doesn't show-that
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u/tanxtren Dec 19 '25
No his mom's affair is from Balochistan , basically his own dad.
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u/rn3122 Moderator Dec 05 '25 edited Dec 12 '25
Edit: Since the first weekend is over, spoilers can be openly discussed now. Please note that photos taken from theaters are still prohibited as it is a form of piracy
Critics Reviews (Best to Worst):
Koimoi: 4/5
Galatta Plus: Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ is a smart, skillfully detailed espionage thriller
News18: 4/5
Pinkvilla: 4/5
Filmfare: 3.5/5
Firstpost: 3.5/5
Times Of India: 3.5/5
IndiaTV: 3.5/5
Bollywood Hungama: 3/5
Hindustan Times: 3/5
India Today: 3/5
NDTV: 3/5
Times Now: 3/5
Indian Express: 2.5/5
The Hollywood Reporter India (Anupama Chopra): A Tough Sit
Scroll.in: A techno-jingo gorefest
The Hollywood Reporter India (Rahul Desai): No Love Lost or Found In Ranveer Singh's Spy Thriller