 "‘Dhurandhar’ Movie Review: Ranveer Singh makes a smashing comeback with Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt & R. Madhavan")
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Sara Arjun, R. Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi
Director: Aditya Dhar
Language: Hindi
This is indeed one of Ranveer Singh’s best performances of the year. And it was indeed worth the wait for all of us. It looks like he is choosing his movies with care. After his brilliant performance in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, ‘Dhurandhar’ is a completely different film with loads of action and giggles of the guns, and if you love the smell of blood, you truly cannot miss it. This film is indeed one of the most engaging releases of this year.
The film is divided into 8 chapters and opens with a terrorist attack scene. Breaking up the film in to chapters works well for the film. ‘ Dhurandhar’ is a name of a mission and it did take inspiration from covert operations led by RAW, 1999 IC-814 Kandahar hijack, Parliament attack of December 2001, Operation Lyari, 26/11 terrorist attack and more. And NO, the film is not based on Major Mohit Sharma . After watching the film, you will realize how the politics of the neighboring country and how things work in the streets of Karachi and the way the underworld functions and how all that is connected to India.
The three hours, thirty-four minutes movie can be a bit of an over-stretch, but it is worth all your time. It is indeed one of the biggest and boldest release of 2025. It is a pulse-pounding look into the high-stakes world of covert operatives, where every decision is a matter of life and death, and the battle for the nation is fought in the shadows.
The movie is not based on the armed forces, but about men who actually risk their lives and fight invisible wars. It is about men who have sacrificed everything to serve their country and most importantly we need to realise that these are the men who have even probably forgotten real names.
This is Ranveer Singh’s career-best performance; especially his restrained emotional scenes have come out brilliantly. Performing the role of a mean killing machine with emotions isn’t easy, but he does it with utmost brilliance. He can be brutal, cunning and emotional and at the same time unpredictable. ‘Too many actors’ is never a crowd when you have such solid performances from each one of them, whether it is Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, or Rakesh Bedi.
‘Dhurandhar’ is a tribute to all such men and those forgotten voices who risk their all for the nation! As filmmaker Aditya Dhar rightly said, “Dhurandhar isn’t just a film—it’s a raw, visceral truth pulled from a deeply personal core. It is a tribute to the silent architects of our world, the extraordinary men and women whose monumental work never makes the headlines.” And Aditya Dhar has proved yet again that he indeed has a very special and unique storytelling lens. Coming to the performances, though Ranveer Singh steals the show, Arjun Rampal’s performance too is terrific despite limited screen time.
The way Dhurandhar’ ends, makes you want the second part and I am sure Aditya Dhar is soon going to come up with it. For the theatre going audiences, this film is a complete package and an absolute value for money. And the best thing about the film is not a single dialogue or scene looks forced or irrelevant.
Rating: 3 (and half) out of 5
WATCH the trailer of JioStudios Dhurandhar here:
Lachmi Deb Roy is the Entertainment Editor of Firstpost, Network18. She reviews films and series with a gender lens. She is a 'Rotten Tomatoes' certified critic. Her interviews are called 'Not Just Bollywood' because she takes a huge interest in world cinema. She has been the winner of the prestigious Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity for two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. OTT over theatrical releases is her preference unless and until it's a King Khan film. She takes interest in fashion, food and art reviews too.