Veteran director Ram Gopal Varma set social media abuzz over the weekend with his review of the much-anticipated film Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh and directed by Aditya Dhar. His comments sparked a chain reaction of admiration from industry heavyweights, though Varma himself responded with a moment of poignant self-reflection.
Viral Praise from Peers and Protégés
In his review, Varma described Dhurandhar as a quantum leap for Indian cinema, declaring that the industry would now have to wake up. This high praise quickly went viral. Veteran actor Paresh Rawal commented, suggesting that film critics should learn how to review movies from RGV. The film's director, Aditya Dhar, responded with deep reverence, stating he is a fan of Varma and that it was RGV's own groundbreaking work that taught him to be fearless in filmmaking.
The admiration did not stop there. A Twitter handle named Cine Corn pointed out a significant trend: the creators behind landmark films like Baahubali: The Beginning, Pokiri, Animal, and Dhurandhar have all openly acknowledged Ram Gopal Varma as an inspiration and are self-professed fans of his influential body of work.
RGV's Introspective Response
Instead of simply basking in this widespread acclaim, Varma chose a path of introspection. Responding to the tweet highlighting his influence, he shared a metaphorical anecdote. He recalled a female model who became immensely popular from a soap commercial, prompting the brand owner to ask his board, "We made the model popular, but what about the soap?"
Applying this to himself, Varma wrote, "Likewise it sounds nice that I INSPIRED all these great directors to become GREAT, but when will me, the INSPIRER become GREAT?" This reflective question revealed a filmmaker contemplating his own legacy despite his monumental impact.
The Legacy and The Comeback
Ram Gopal Varma is widely credited with revolutionizing the grammar of Indian cinema in the late 1990s and early 2000s. His filmography includes seminal works that redefined genres:
- Shiva (1990)
- Rangeela (1995)
- Satya (1998)
- Company (2002)
- Bhoot (2003)
- Sarkar (2005)
- Kaun? (1999)
Now, the maverick director is poised for a major return to Hindi cinema. He is all set to direct Police Station Mein Bhoot, starring Manoj Bajpayee, Genelia D’Souza, and Ramya Krishnan. The film is slated for release in 2026. This project marks a reunion between RGV and Manoj Bajpayee after almost a decade; their last collaboration was Sarkar 3 in 2017, which featured Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role.
The recent episode underscores RGV's enduring influence on a new generation of filmmakers, even as he continues to question and challenge his own standing in the annals of Indian cinema.
