Ram Gopal Varma, who initially praised Dhurandhar 2, has now criticised its portrayal of Dawood Ibrahim. He believes the depiction does not align with his understanding, though he admits the truth remains uncertain
Ram Gopal Varma
Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar 2 has been largely receiving positive reviews ever since its release on March 19 this year. Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has been one of the biggest supporters of the film and has been publicly lauding the film. However, after showering the film with a barrage of praises, he has now voiced concerns over how Dawood Ibrahim has been portrayed in the film.
Ram Gopal Varma criticises Dhurandhar 2
Shortly after the film’s release, Varma took to social media to shower it with praise, even calling Dhurandhar 2 the best film after Sholay. He described it as a “quantum leap” in Indian cinema, referred to Dhar as his “new guru". He had even met Aditya Dhar and Yami Gautam after the release of the film.
However, in a recent YouTube conversation with writer Hussain Zaidi, Varma admitted that one particular aspect did not work for him.
Speaking about the film’s depiction of Dawood, shown as ‘Bade Sahab’ and the mastermind behind terror operations based out of Pakistan, Varma said he disagreed with the way the character has been presented.
“The only element I disagree with is that… I feel that the portrayal of Dawood Ibrahim… They might have their own sources (but) I think it is being shown incorrectly," he said.
He clarified that while he cannot claim absolute authority, the version shown in the film does not align with what he believes to be true. “It’s not like I can say that with authority. But it is not falling in line with what I know."
Varma further suggested that, based on what he has heard over the years, Dawood Ibrahim has been largely inactive by choice. According to him, the underworld figure may have stepped away from criminal activities nearly two decades ago.
He also admitted that such portrayals exist in a grey area, where neither side can definitively prove or disprove the truth. As he put it, no one can claim complete certainty about such narratives.
Danish Iqbal on playing Dawood
The actor who plays Bade Sahab was kept a mystery throughout the first part and was only revealed in part 2. Talking about the same, Danish told mid-day, "I initially thought it was just one film and that I would be a part of it. But when the first part released, I realised I would be in part two. Meanwhile, the mention of Bade Sahab created such a buzz. Even I was surprised. There was so much speculation, with people guessing names like Emraan Hashmi, Salman Khan, and many others. Everyone was casting their favourite actor as Bade Sahab."
Box Office success continues
Despite the ongoing debate, Dhurandhar 2 continues to perform strongly at the box office, reportedly earning Rs 1733.2 crore worldwide. Headlined by Ranveer Singh, the film also features R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, and Gaurav Gera. Together, the two films in the franchise have crossed Rs 3,000 crore globally.
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