As a spy drama, Dhurandhar attempts to stay raw and grounded, avoiding the glamorous tone of other popular spy universes in Bollywood. However, this realistic approach falters at times—especially during a climactic face-off between Akshaye Khanna and Sanjay Dutt
Still from Dhurandhar
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Spy dramas have become a favourite genre in Bollywood, and Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, is the newest addition to a lineup that already includes the YRF spy franchise, The Family Man, and Raazi. However, Dhurandhar brings in a different tonality to the Bollywood spy universe - if we may call it that.
Dhurandhar plot
The film opens with the conclusion of the Kandhara hijack negotiation. R. Madhavan plays the IB (Intelligence Bureau) chief, with his look clearly inspired by former National Security Advisor and spymaster Ajit Doval. Disappointed with the outcome of the negotiation, his character proposes a long-term plan to prevent such situations in the future. His suggestion goes unheard - until the 2001 Parliament attack. It's only then that his superiors pay attention, leading to the inception of Operation Dhurandhar (named Operation Lyari in real).
Ranveer Singh, obviously, plays the spy sent to Pakistan. He assumes the identity of Hamza Ali Mazari, though not much is revealed about his real background apart from his deep-rooted dedication to his country. His mission is to infiltrate local gangster networks and send intelligence back home to prevent large-scale attacks. However, 26/11 is an event he fails to prevent, despite alerting India about an attack initially planned for the first week of October 2008. The Mumbai terror attack leaves him deeply disturbed and fuels his renewed determination to dismantle the core of Pakistan's terror infrastructure.
Film weighed down by runtime?
Now, let's talk about the length. The film's runtime was a major talking point even before release. At 3 hours and 34 minutes, Dhurandhar is one of Bollywood's longest films in 17 years and its story doesn't even conclude in Part 1. The film is divided into 10 chapters, like a novel, each titled to reflect the mood.
Dhurandhar Part 1 focuses on events from 2000 to 2009. The narrative takes its own sweet time to reach its conclusion which is Ranveer taking down his first major target. But the journey often feels taxing because of its excessive length.
The first half mostly follows Ranveer as he earns his place in Rahman Dikkait's (Akshaye Khanna) gang. The audience also gets a deeper understanding of Pakistan's internal politics, which becomes increasingly important as the film progresses. While world-building is essential, the film could definitely have been trimmed to make the screenplay tighter.
Music
The Dhurandhar title track was one of its biggest pre-release USPs. The remixed version with HanumanKind's vocals had created quite a buzz. However, the track is severely underused in the film, even in moments where it could have elevated the narrative. Composer Shashwat Sachdev does a good job reimagining old classics, but the utilisation of the songs is questionable and often hampers a scene instead of enhancing it.
Real vs fiction
As a spy drama, Dhurandhar attempts to stay raw and grounded, avoiding the glamorous tone of other popular spy universes in Bollywood. However, this realistic approach falters at times especially during a climactic face-off between Akshaye Khanna and Sanjay Dutt, which feels oddly amateur.
Credit must be given to director-writer Aditya Dhar for his research and for blending real historic moments with fiction. He doesn't dilute the challenges and vulnerabilities of a spy. One particularly powerful scene shows Ranveer's character tearing up while eating a meal on a busy street in Pakistan. In another restrained yet impactful moment, he learns about the Mumbai terror attacks and watches his countrymen suffer while being surrounded by Pakistanis celebrating the news. His later emotional breakdown, consumed by guilt, is one of the film's strongest sequences.
What doesn't feel realistic, however, is the VFX used in violent scenes. The film relies heavily on violence and gore to evoke emotion, but the poor CGI often ends up unintentionally funny rather than chilling.
Performances
Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, and Rakesh Bedi lift the film above its uneven pace with their solid performances. However, even their sincerity and screen presence can't fully sustain engagement through a 3-hour-and-34-minute runtime.
Conclusion
It's too soon to judge Dhurandhar as a good or bad film, simply because the story isn't complete yet. Part 1 finally picks up pace towards the end, but much of the narrative will only unfold in Part 2, releasing in theatres on March 19, 2026.
With the number of bullets fired in this film, if the characters had better aim we might have gotten both parts together with a tighter screenplay. Alas, the film, and this review, will get their true conclusion only in March 2026!
