In a candid interview, actor Ankit Sagar, who plays the pivotal role of Javed Khanani in the blockbuster film Dhurandhar, has drawn a sharp distinction between Aditya Dhar's realistic thriller and the more fantastical YRF Spy Universe. Sagar suggested that while Dhurandhar is inspired by real-life events, other spy franchises often prioritise commercial appeal over authenticity, even attempting to 'please all sides'.
Dhurandhar's Foundation in Reality vs. Spy Universe's 'Pleasing' Narrative
Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Ankit Sagar elaborated on the core philosophy behind Dhurandhar's success. He emphasised that the film's strength lies in its grounding in actual events, a stark contrast to the approach he perceives in other popular spy films. "Dhurandhar is a film based on reality. At the same time, it is also a commercial film. It has everything that a good film should have. That is why Dhurandhar reached so many people," Sagar stated.
He then delivered his pointed critique, without directly naming the Yash Raj Films franchise: "ISI and RAW agents won't dance with each other in real life, but maybe they want to please all sides with their film. In order to make money from all sides." This comment is widely interpreted as a dig at the characters played by Deepika Padukone in Pathaan and Katrina Kaif in Tiger, both ISI agents who share elaborate dance sequences and romantic subplots with Indian RAW agents.
Clarifying Inspirations: No Link to Major Mohit Sharma
Sagar also used the interview to clarify misconceptions about the film's inspiration. He firmly denied that Dhurandhar or Ranveer Singh's character is based on the life of martyr Major Mohit Sharma. "People tend to latch onto similar things... but I don't think they (Dhar) took any inspiration from his life," he explained, attributing the assumptions to superficial similarities in appearance or mission details.
However, he did confirm the open secret regarding another character. On seeing R Madhavan in his role, Sagar instantly recognised the inspiration. "Everyone knows that Madhavan's character is based on Ajit Doval. When I saw Maddy in the get-up, you could tell in one instant that he was playing Doval, and I almost didn't recognise him," the actor revealed.
Political Narrative and Real-Life Events
When questioned about a potential political agenda in Dhurandhar, Sagar distanced himself and the film's narrative from direct propaganda. He stated he was never briefed on making a political statement. Instead, he framed the film as a reflection of documented events. "Whatever has been portrayed actually took place in real life, for example, the scene about fake notes. These things have happened in our country, and films like this are a lesson that all these mistakes should not be repeated," Sagar asserted, highlighting the film's intent to showcase historical realities rather than partisan politics.
The interview also touched upon the intriguing connection of Ranveer Singh's character name, Jaskirat Singh Rangi, to a similarly named character in Aditya Dhar's previous hit, Uri: The Surgical Strike. Sagar admitted his own confusion, saying, "Even I am confused about this connection... Nothing about this was in the script." He speculated that it might be a creative device by the makers to build a larger narrative universe and keep the audience guessing about mysterious figures like 'Bade Sahab'.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, and Ankit Sagar. The film continues to dominate box office discussions, with its gritty, reality-based approach sparking debates about the evolution of the spy genre in Bollywood.
