By: Rijesh Poudel
Aditya Dhar wrote, directed, and co-produced Dhurandhar, an Indian Hindi-language spy action thriller released in 2025. It stars Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi in pivotal roles. It is produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Aditya Dhar, and Lokesh Dhar under the banners of Jio Studios and B62 Studios, respectively.
The film is based on real-life episodes, geopolitical tensions, and covert activities carried out by India’s intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) with local gangs and crime syndicates in Karachi, Pakistan. This is the first installment of a two-part series and the second instalment, titled Dhurandhar Part 2 will hit the theaters on March 19, 2026.
Dhurandhar wastes no time easing the viewer in it begins with a sharp, arresting energy that immediately sets the tone for the chaos and danger that follow. Loosely linked to the life of Major Mohit Sharma, the film plunges deep into the shadowy realm of espionage, examining the paranoia, sacrifice, and constant tightrope walk of operating undercover in hostile territory. Aditya Dhar approaches this world with grand ambition, delivering an expansive espionage drama that leans heavily on mood, scale, and atmosphere. Ranveer Singh brings a controlled intensity to the lead role, portraying a man constantly torn between duty and survival. Yet the film is so packed with parallel storylines that his emotional journey occasionally feels overshadowed. The real show-stealer is Akshaye Khanna as Rehman Dakait. With his dialogue, he communicates entire storms of emotion through fleeting looks. His presence is chilling, magnetic, and easily among the film’s sharpest highlights. Sanjay Dutt commands attention whenever he appears, Arjun Rampal is the second most show stealer after Akshay Khanna. With limited scenes, he creates a fear in the audience and R. Madhavan
delivers a performance that is tough. Sara Arjun is fine and delivers decent performance as a debut.
On the technical front, Dhurandhar is a masterclass. The cinematography creates a gritty, immersive environment, while the production design reconstructs locations with near- documentary realism. The blend of VFX and practical effects is so smooth that most viewers
won’t notice where one ends and the other begins. The background score is consistently gripping, building pressure like a tightening coil. Action sequences are staged with brutal clarity raw, uncompromising, and often difficult to watch. The use of real archival footage and authentic audio recordings adds a haunting layer of reality, especially during scenes referencing the 26/11 handlers.
The film’s issues become noticeable in its structure. At 214 minutes, it’s undeniably long, and several narrative strands could have been trimmed without losing impact. But the action seems meaningful especially the car fight scene in the climax. By the time the film teases its second installment for March 2026, the cliffhanger lands with excitement and expected to be more violent.
Despite some flaws, Dhurandhar stands tall as a daring and meticulously assembled thriller. It doesn’t resort to chest-thumping nationalism; instead, it trusts its craft, performances, and atmosphere to carry its weight. The film connects emotionally, and impresses thorough a technical and performance level.
As the tittle says “A very tight slap to YRF Spy Universe”, it doesn’t focus only on the glamor as YRF. It actually shows how a spy thriller should be. Rather than YRF which is totally illogical.
Lastly,
Dhurandhar is a gripping, visually striking, and ambitious achievement an experience that stays with you, even if it doesn’t always strike every emotional note it reaches for.
My rating: 3/5
