New Delhi: Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has once again stirred debate in the Hindi film industry with his outspoken praise for Aditya Dhar’s spy-action thriller Dhurandhar. Taking to social media platform X, Varma claimed that the film had effectively pushed back what he described as the “invasion” of South Indian cinema into Bollywood, adding that the second instalment of the franchise would be even more impactful.
In a strongly worded post, Varma wrote that Dhurandhar had “kicked back” South cinema’s dominance in the Hindi market and that Aditya Dhar was already preparing a follow-up that would “terrify” competitors. “If the first part scared them, the second part will terrify them,” he wrote, using his trademark hyperbolic style.
Praise for Aditya Dhar’s vision
Varma, known for his candid opinions, has been consistently vocal about his admiration for Dhurandhar since its release on December 5. He has repeatedly credited director Aditya Dhar for delivering a film that combines scale, emotional depth and narrative ambition.
In earlier interactions, Varma compared Dhar’s filmmaking approach to that of legendary American director Francis Ford Coppola. He said that while Coppola’s influence taught him the power of intense, closed-room drama, Dhurandhar demonstrated how such intensity could be amplified on a grand scale without losing emotional impact.
According to Varma, one of the film’s biggest strengths lies in its confidence in the audience. He observed that Dhurandhar allows viewers to “feel before they understand”, a narrative technique he described as rare and refreshing in contemporary mainstream cinema.
Favourite scenes and cinematic comparisons
Speaking to NDTV in an earlier interview, Varma revealed his favourite moment from the film — a tense sequence in which Akshaye Khanna’s character, Rehman Dakait, realises that Ranveer Singh’s Humza is a traitor, leading to a brutal fight inside a car. Varma said the scene stood out for its raw emotion and sudden escalation of violence.
He drew parallels between the scene and a moment from his own 2002 film Company, where Ajay Devgn’s character kills a man in a calm yet emotionally charged manner. Varma explained that such scenes resonate deeply because they combine moral conflict with irreversible action, something he believes Dhurandhar executes effectively.
Learning from Dhurandhar
In a longer note shared on X, Varma said the film offered him several “new learnings” even at this stage of his career. He praised the way the film handles heroism, noting that it presents flawed, consequence-driven protagonists rather than invincible larger-than-life figures.
He also highlighted the film’s approach to violence, stating that it should “hurt the viewer, not just entertain them”. According to Varma, Dhurandhar succeeds in making action sequences emotionally unsettling rather than merely spectacular.
Varma further applauded the film’s structure and sound design, saying it proved that uneven or fractured narratives could still command audience attention. He added that sound and background score in the film act as psychological tools, sometimes more powerful than dialogue.
About Dhurandhar
Dhurandhar is a spy-action thriller directed by Aditya Dhar and headlined by Ranveer Singh. The ensemble cast includes Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal. The film follows India’s Intelligence Bureau as it plants a deep-cover operative in Karachi’s Lyari underworld to dismantle a terror network linked to Pakistani gangs and the ISI.
Set against the backdrop of major events such as the 1999 Kandahar hijacking and the 2001 Parliament attack, the film blends real-world political tension with high-stakes espionage. Its box office performance and strong word-of-mouth have positioned it as one of the most talked-about Hindi releases of the year.
Conclusion
With Ram Gopal Varma predicting an even bigger impact from Dhurandhar 2, expectations around the franchise have intensified. Whether the sequel lives up to the filmmaker’s bold claims remains to be seen, but the conversation it has sparked highlights the evolving dynamics and competitive pressures within Indian cinema.