Dhurandhar Review: Ranveer Singh’s Explosive & Intelligent Thriller Honors India’s Unsung Heroes

Dhurandhar review: Ranveer Singh shines in Aditya Dhar’s gripping, patriotic thriller packed with intense action, powerful dialogues, and a deep dive into India’s intelligence operations.

The film opens with the thunderous line: “If they (Pakistan) even think of harming India in their sleep, we should appear first in their dreams.” And it ends with “This is New India—it will strike inside their homes.” These two moments alone make it clear what Dhurandhar wants to say and how boldly it intends to say it. After surviving multiple controversies, the film has finally released in theatres. For Ranveer Singh, Dhurandhar is an important milestone, his first performance-driven film after Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, supported by a strong ensemble cast that shares the load with him.

Story

The film revolves around Operation Dhurandhar. India is shaken by several terror attacks: plane hijackings, the 2001 Parliament shooting, and more. In retaliation, India sends one of its agents deep into Pakistan’s underworld to dismantle its mafia and terror networks from within. To know how the mission unfolds, you must watch the film.

How Is the Film?

Calling Dhurandhar an “intelligent film” is absolutely correct. Multiple tracks run simultaneously, yet all merge smoothly. The film showcases how India’s intelligence defeats Pakistan’s malicious plans. It touches upon major incidents, Parliament attack, Mumbai terror attack, fake currency operations, Pakistan-Balochistan tensions, and their impact on India.

Despite the complexity, Aditya Dhar never confuses the audience. He answers every question as the story progresses. The film even incorporates real Parliament attack footage. Some action sequences are bloody and disturbing, if you have a weak heart, close your eyes, but don’t escape the truth.

The narrative is divided into chapters, each introducing characters with retro songs, a unique and heroic stylistic choice. Dhurandhar delivers everything, action, emotion, patriotism, powerful dialogues, everything that defines true cinema.

The handlers–terrorist conversations from the 2008 Mumbai attacks are painful, anger-inducing, and ignite deep respect for the police and soldiers who stormed in and eliminated the attackers one by one.

Credit should also go to Lokesh Dhar, Jio Studios, and Jyoti Deshpande for backing a film like this shot in two parts without compromising their vision.

Performances

Ranveer Singh is truly lethal, both in looks and performance. Expectations are naturally high, but with long hair and lenses, he looks super-fit and razor-sharp, like a one-man killing machine.

Akshaye Khanna, as Rehman Baloch, brings immense depth. He speaks little but conveys everything through expressions.

Sara Arjun, as Yalina, Hamza’s love interest, looks stunning and displays every quality of a strong performer.

R. Madhavan grabs attention from the very first frame; his role forms the backbone of the film. He looks completely comfortable in his look.

Arjun Rampal, as ISI Major Iqbal, is merciless.

Sanjay Dutt, as SP Chaudhary Aslam, showcases his signature swag.

Rakesh Bedi and Saumya Tandon also deliver solid performances.

Writing & Direction

Aditya Dhar excels as writer, director, and creator. He isn’t just an intelligent filmmaker, he is a deeply thoughtful writer. This film must have been a massive challenge to script because of the many narrative threads, yet he balances all of them. Each character gets space, and their names appear on-screen to ensure viewers remember them.

The film also reveals that Dhurandhar Part 2 will arrive next year.

Dialogues like “Sometimes breaking patience can be good for the nation…” and “The most beautiful habit of destiny is that it changes when the time comes… and our time will come…” hit with full force.

Music

Shashwat Sachdev’s music and Irshad Kamil’s lyrics create a powerful combination. Ranveer’s entry qawwali Karvaan sets the tone perfectly. Diljit Dosanjh’s track elevates key sequences and adds style. The background score is intense. The ghazals and old tracks—including Rambha Ho Ho—make Ranveer’s action scenes even more impactful.

If you enjoy patriotic films and want to understand how India’s intelligence machinery works, Dhurandhar is absolutely for you.