Aditya Dhar's much-anticipated film Dhurandhar, released on 5 December 2025, has hit the screens, presenting audiences with a sprawling, nearly 3.5-hour action drama. Headlined by a remarkably restrained Ranveer Singh, the Hindi film weaves a fictional narrative inspired by true incidents of terror that have shaped India's recent history.
A Deep Dive into Karachi's Underworld
The plot of Dhurandhar follows a covert intelligence operation, codenamed 'Dhurandhar', orchestrated by India's Intelligence Bureau Chief Ajay Sanyal, played by R. Madhavan. The mission sends a mysterious agent named Hamza (Ranveer Singh) deep into the heart of Karachi's criminal landscape, specifically the notorious Lyari gangwar. His objective is to infiltrate and dismantle terror networks from within.
The story is structured across multiple chapters, building a deliberate and immersive world. The film's backdrop references pivotal real-life terror events: the IC-814 Kandahar hijacking (1999), the Parliament attack (2001), and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008). Despite its substantial runtime, director Aditya Dhar's tight and stylish storytelling ensures the pace rarely drags, keeping viewers engaged in the gritty and violent universe.
Performances and Production Highlights
Ranveer Singh delivers a powerful performance, shedding his typically boisterous screen persona for a layered, subdued, and intense avatar. With long hair, a grungy beard, and a piercing gaze, his physical transformation is striking, though his acting choices carve a distinct path separate from similar looks seen in recent cinema. He is ably supported by a strong ensemble cast including Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, and Sara Arjun, all of whom enrich the narrative with solid turns.
A significant triumph for the film is its music and background score. The soundtrack creatively reimagines 70s and 80s Bappi Lahiri classics within modern soundscapes, effectively elevating the narrative and maintaining a relentless, pulsating energy throughout the film.
Genre-Bending Narrative and Minor Shortcomings
While marketed as a classic spy thriller highlighting the RAW vs. ISI dynamic, Dhurandhar reveals itself to be more of a Godfather-esque saga set in the underbelly of Karachi. The world-building strongly suggests the potential for an expanded trilogy. However, the film is not without its flaws. Some production design elements, though set in the past, feel conspicuously contemporary and occasionally generic. The screenplay also occasionally dips into stereotypical Bollywood tropes, such as a terrorist sneering, "Hindus are darpok (cowardly)."
Ultimately, Dhurandhar serves as an extension of the assertive nationalistic sentiment popularized by Dhar's previous hit, Uri: The Surgical Strike. It is a film packed with unflinching violence and operational grit, captured in the ethos of 'Yeh naya India hai'. The film manages to grip the audience from start to finish, earning a Critic's Rating of 3.5 and an equal 3.5 Users' Rating in early responses. For those seeking a lengthy, immersive, and power-packed cinematic experience, Dhurandhar delivers.
