Dhurandhar movie review: A spy thriller that redefines scale and sentiment

Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar explodes with raw intensity, gripping performances, and a patriotic pulse that never loses its soul.

Every decade, a new kind of filmmaker takes the storytelling to a whole new level, and Aditya Dhar’s latest creation, Dhurandhar, is one such movie. With his sharp and witty vision, he creates an action-packed and true spy thriller which is equal parts thunderous, heartfelt, and furious. The filmmaker confidently combines action, espionage, thriller, and patriotism formats together to create a genre-defying movie which is packed with raw intensity, style, and enough nuances that it requires at least two times watching.

The film quickly establishes the chaotic and dark times of our country, as it draws inspiration from the IC-814 Hijacking, the Parliament attacks, the Mumbai attack and various other terrorist attacks on Indian soil.

Indian IB Chief Ajay Sanyal, played by R Madhavan, a man burning with the desire to strike back to dismantle the terror networks across the border by infiltrating them from the inside. Underneath his calm and calculated composer, he is a man of untold grit and wits. His sheer screen presence and sharply delivered lines bring both weight and depth to the narrative.

Sanyal plants Ranveer Singh as Hamza, in enemy territory, he is the ultimate weapon, which he plans to unleash onto the heart of the terrorist organization. Hamza, with a traumatic past and nothing left to lose, he becomes the soul, muscle, and fire of the film, carrying forward the objective. Ranveer delivers a towering performance, raw yet measured, fierce yet layered. His is just magnetic; he dominates every frame with an intensity that feels both dangerous and deeply human. This is easily one of his most controlled and compelling performances yet.

What strengthens the film further is its formidable supporting cast. Akshaye Khanna’s Rehman Dakait is a chilling creation—smart, sinister, and disturbingly captivating. Sanjay Dutt, as SP Aslam “The Jinn,” exudes brute power, while Arjun Rampal’s Major Iqbal adds quiet menace that lingers. Newcomer Sara Arjun steps in with confidence, bringing sensitivity and charm to her part.

Together, they shape a world that feels alive, unpredictable, and richly textured.

One of Dhar’s strongest creative choices is the inclusion of real archival footage and the spine-freezing audio from the Mumbai attacks. Hearing the actual intercepted conversations of terrorists receiving instructions is unsettling on a visceral level. It ignites patriotism but never crosses into chest-thumping nationalism. Instead, it grounds the film with a sobering dose of reality that amplifies both the emotional and political stakes.

Despite its 196-minute runtime, Dhurandhar maintains ferocious momentum. Dhar’s grip on storytelling is firm, ensuring that every moment—every pause, every build-up, every escalation—serves a purpose. The background score deserves special applause: a unique, relentless BGM that infuses the film with unstoppable energy. Not a moment drags, and the overall soundtrack, already hailed as one of the year’s best, elevates the big reveals and set pieces into pure cinematic electricity.

The violence, while present, is never gratuitous. Only a handful of scenes are graphically intense, each serving the narrative rather than existing for shock value. The heart of the film lies in its emotional undercurrents, complex political web, and sharply drawn character arcs. The first half sets a strong foundation, culminating in a goosebumps-inducing interval. Post-interval, shifting loyalties, rising conspiracies, and Hamza’s strategic ascent into the mafia hierarchy build towards an explosive setup for Part Two, arriving Eid 2026.

Produced by B62 Studios and Jio Studios, the film benefits massively from the vision and ambition of Jyoti Deshpande, Lokesh Dhar, and Aditya Dhar. The large-scale sets, high-stakes action, and bold narrative choices reflect a team unafraid to swing big. This is Indian cinema embracing global standards without losing the intensity of its own roots. As the final scene teases the next chapter, one thing is unmistakably clear: the battle has only just begun, and the anticipation for Part Two is nothing short of electrifying.

Director/Writer: Aditya Dhar

Cast: Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi

Duration: 196 Minutes

Rating: 4