Dhurandhar Movie Review
- Ranveer Singh in an intense espionage role
- Aditya Dhar’s heavy, serious action drama
- Strong action scenes and realistic backdrop
- Cinematography and background score stand out
- Lengthy runtime and high violence
Dhurandhar is a Bollywood action–espionage thriller directed by Aditya Dhar, starring Ranveer Singh in the lead role, alongside Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Madhavan, and Sara Arjun. Released theatrically on December 5, the film reportedly collected around ₹1400 crores worldwide. From January 30, 2026, Dhurandhar has also been made available on Netflix with a Telugu dubbed version.
Set against the backdrop of cross-border terrorism, the film attempts to portray a covert Indian intelligence operation designed to strike at the roots of mafia and terror networks operating from Pakistan.
Plot Summary
Pakistan continues to encourage terrorist attacks on India, treating India’s patience as weakness. With the support of political leaders, terrorist organizations operate freely, supplying illegal arms and counterfeit currency. Mafia leaders Rehman (Akshaye Khanna), Arshad Pappu (Ashwin Dhar), and Iqbal (Arjun Rampal) are locked in a fierce power struggle, while politician Jameel (Rakesh Bedi) and the Khannani Brothers try to exploit the chaos for political and business gains.
Concerned by the worsening situation, Indian Intelligence Bureau Chief Ajay Sanyal (Madhavan) proposes a secret mission called Operation Dhurandhar. Believing that excessive goodness leads to danger, he selects a young prisoner from a Punjab jail and sends him into Pakistan under the identity of Hamza (Ranveer Singh). What challenges Hamza faces in Pakistan and how he survives them forms the core of the story.
Analysis
Films based on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and attacks on India are not new. Most such stories highlight brave army officers and their sacrifices. However, Dhurandhar feels different because the mission is entrusted to a convicted prisoner instead of a uniformed officer, giving the narrative a fresh angle.
Aditya Dhar’s writing and direction reflect extensive research into Pakistan’s social conditions, political instability, mafia networks, and terrorist movements. The way internal power struggles and sudden political shifts are portrayed gives the audience a sense of realism, almost as if they are witnessing real events.
Despite having many key characters, the narration remains clear and well-managed. The inclusion of a subtle love track provides some relief amidst the heavy content. Hamza’s emotional conflict—realizing that his actions indirectly contributed to violence in his own country—connects well. Aditya Dhar carries the film on his shoulders, supported strongly by Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, and Sanjay Dutt as SP Aslam.
Performances
Ranveer Singh fits perfectly into the role of Hamza, balancing intensity, vulnerability, and aggression. Akshaye Khanna once again proves his strength in layered antagonist roles. Sanjay Dutt’s presence as SP Aslam adds authority and gravitas. Madhavan brings calm seriousness to his role as the intelligence chief, while Arjun Rampal is effective in his limited but impactful screen time.
Technical Aspects
Several sequences stand out, including the attack on Rehman’s son Nayeem, Rehman’s arrest by SP Aslam, and Hamza’s bike escape with Elena. Although the screenplay is not consistently fast-paced, the well-designed action sequences compensate for it.
Vikash’s cinematography is a major highlight, especially in chase sequences, foreign locations, and action set pieces. The visuals add scale and realism. Shashwat Sachdev’s background score elevates the narrative and gives the film a grand, intense feel. Shivkumar Panicker’s editing is decent, though the film feels lengthy. The makers clearly opted for detailed storytelling rather than brevity.
Final Verdict
Dhurandhar is a serious, heavy, and large-scale action thriller with strong action sequences as its backbone. While the story has depth and realism, the narrative lacks speed and freshness at certain points. The level of violence and bloodshed is intense and may be uncomfortable for some viewers. Emotional elements work at the character level but do not fully connect throughout the entire film.
However, Aditya Dhar succeeds in realistically portraying Pakistan’s social conditions, political games, and the nexus between mafia and terrorism. Fans of realistic espionage dramas and hard-hitting action films may find Dhurandhar worth watching.
Set against the backdrop of cross-border terrorism, the film attempts to portray a covert Indian intelligence operation designed to strike at the roots of mafia and terror networks operating from Pakistan.
Plot Summary
Pakistan continues to encourage terrorist attacks on India, treating India’s patience as weakness. With the support of political leaders, terrorist organizations operate freely, supplying illegal arms and counterfeit currency. Mafia leaders Rehman (Akshaye Khanna), Arshad Pappu (Ashwin Dhar), and Iqbal (Arjun Rampal) are locked in a fierce power struggle, while politician Jameel (Rakesh Bedi) and the Khannani Brothers try to exploit the chaos for political and business gains.
Concerned by the worsening situation, Indian Intelligence Bureau Chief Ajay Sanyal (Madhavan) proposes a secret mission called Operation Dhurandhar. Believing that excessive goodness leads to danger, he selects a young prisoner from a Punjab jail and sends him into Pakistan under the identity of Hamza (Ranveer Singh). What challenges Hamza faces in Pakistan and how he survives them forms the core of the story.
Analysis
Films based on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and attacks on India are not new. Most such stories highlight brave army officers and their sacrifices. However, Dhurandhar feels different because the mission is entrusted to a convicted prisoner instead of a uniformed officer, giving the narrative a fresh angle.
Aditya Dhar’s writing and direction reflect extensive research into Pakistan’s social conditions, political instability, mafia networks, and terrorist movements. The way internal power struggles and sudden political shifts are portrayed gives the audience a sense of realism, almost as if they are witnessing real events.
Despite having many key characters, the narration remains clear and well-managed. The inclusion of a subtle love track provides some relief amidst the heavy content. Hamza’s emotional conflict—realizing that his actions indirectly contributed to violence in his own country—connects well. Aditya Dhar carries the film on his shoulders, supported strongly by Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, and Sanjay Dutt as SP Aslam.
Performances
Ranveer Singh fits perfectly into the role of Hamza, balancing intensity, vulnerability, and aggression. Akshaye Khanna once again proves his strength in layered antagonist roles. Sanjay Dutt’s presence as SP Aslam adds authority and gravitas. Madhavan brings calm seriousness to his role as the intelligence chief, while Arjun Rampal is effective in his limited but impactful screen time.
Technical Aspects
Several sequences stand out, including the attack on Rehman’s son Nayeem, Rehman’s arrest by SP Aslam, and Hamza’s bike escape with Elena. Although the screenplay is not consistently fast-paced, the well-designed action sequences compensate for it.
Vikash’s cinematography is a major highlight, especially in chase sequences, foreign locations, and action set pieces. The visuals add scale and realism. Shashwat Sachdev’s background score elevates the narrative and gives the film a grand, intense feel. Shivkumar Panicker’s editing is decent, though the film feels lengthy. The makers clearly opted for detailed storytelling rather than brevity.
Final Verdict
Dhurandhar is a serious, heavy, and large-scale action thriller with strong action sequences as its backbone. While the story has depth and realism, the narrative lacks speed and freshness at certain points. The level of violence and bloodshed is intense and may be uncomfortable for some viewers. Emotional elements work at the character level but do not fully connect throughout the entire film.
However, Aditya Dhar succeeds in realistically portraying Pakistan’s social conditions, political games, and the nexus between mafia and terrorism. Fans of realistic espionage dramas and hard-hitting action films may find Dhurandhar worth watching.
Movie Details
Movie Name: Dhurandhar
Release Date: 2026-01-30
Cast: Ranveer Singh,Akshaye Khanna ,Sanjay Dutt ,Arjun Rampal ,Madhavan,Sara Arjun
Director: Aditya Dhar
Producer: Aditya Dhar- Jyoti Deshpande
Music: Shashwat Sachdev
Banner: Jio Studios B62 Studios
Review By: Peddinti
Trailer