Karan Johar Says Dhurandhar Blew Him Away, Praises Aditya Dhar’s Direction

Karan Johar opens up about Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, saying the film made him question his own filmmaking ability. The Ranveer Singh starrer continues its massive box office run.

Karan Johar praises Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar at a public event, calling it a humbling cinematic experience.

Source : Instagram

Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar continues its unstoppable run, emerging as one of the most talked-about films of the year. Ever since its theatrical release, the spy action thriller has received overwhelming love from audiences, while filmmakers and industry insiders have also joined the chorus of praise. Adding to the acclaim, filmmaker Karan Johar has once again spoken highly of Dhurandhar, admitting that the film left a deep impression on him as a storyteller.

Karan Johar Opens Up at Book Launch Event

Karan Johar recently attended the launch of Dining With Stars by Anupama Chopra, where he reflected on the films that stood out for him this year. While sharing his cinematic highs, Johar revealed how Dhurandhar marked a strong end to his movie-watching journey for the year.

He said, "I was like, blown away by Dhurandhar, it makes you feel like, oh my craft is limited. Oh my god, look at the use of background music. What I loved about Dhurandhar was that I didn’t feel that the director was self-aware. I felt like he wasn’t trying to show off his craft, and yet he was seamlessly telling you the story."

 

Karan Johar was blown away by watching Dhurandhar
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Johar’s words underlined his admiration for the film’s restraint and narrative confidence, praising Aditya Dhar for focusing on storytelling rather than spectacle.

‘It Made Me Question My Ability as a Filmmaker’

The filmmaker went on to explain how Dhurandhar sparked introspection within him. He spoke about the film’s visual language and direction, noting that it never felt excessive or self-indulgent.

He added, "I never felt he went wide or he went like I am going to show you a great frame, I felt it was beautifully shot without self-awareness. It made me question my ability as a filmmaker, and that’s always a good thing for me. I look at that through a positive lens. So I began the year loving Saiyaara and ended the year loving Dhurandhar. I loved Lokah, too. I went mad when I watched Lokah."

This is not the first time Karan Johar has praised the film. Soon after its release, he had taken to Instagram to call Dhurandhar outstanding, applauding director Aditya Dhar, lead actor Ranveer Singh, and the entire team behind the project.

About Dhurandhar and Its Massive Box Office Run

Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar is a high-octane spy action thriller centred on Hamza, an Indian intelligence officer portrayed by Ranveer Singh. The story follows his dangerous mission to infiltrate the gang of Rehman Dakait, played by Akshaye Khanna, in Pakistan’s Lyari region to uncover their links with the ISI.

The film boasts a strong ensemble cast including Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan and Sanjay Dutt, along with Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun and others in key roles.

Despite receiving mixed critical reviews, Dhurandhar has turned into a box office juggernaut. The film has already earned ₹1,065 crore worldwide and is on track to cross ₹700 crore domestically. With its phenomenal performance, excitement is steadily building for Dhurandhar Part Two, which is slated for a theatrical release on March 19, 2026.