Dhurandhar (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – Dhurandhar is a star-studded saga inspired by incredible true events set in the gritty criminal vein of underworld with a backdrop of Indian patriotism, featuring action sequences, Shakespearean betrayals, and tradecrafts of espionage.

My Take – While it might have seemed like the disastrous results of ‘War 2‘ would have waived off producers and filmmakers from heavily investing in colossally structured spy ventures for the time being, here comes Aditya Dhar, who after having proven his command on the craft in his debut film itself, Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), continues his broad-stroked sentiment of revenge against our warring neighbor by writing, directing, and co-producing a new sprawling, chapter driven action epic that not just looks bold, but is also highly addictive.

Drawing from real incidents linked to RAW and intense geopolitical flashpoints, particularly, Operation Lyari, a crackdown on gangs and crime syndicates in Karachi’s Lyari region, the resulting film works superbly as a character study wrapped being a high-octane cross-border spy thriller and gangster saga. A rare contemporary commercial film that marries scale with craft and control with imagination.

Indeed, the idea of Indian spies working undercover in Pakistan has been explored before, but here, director Dhar experiments without apology and trusts its audience to follow his unusual rhythm. The structure, the performances, the political undercurrent, the quiet pockets of emotion, and the bursts of merciless action all blend into something that feels satisfyingly different.

Sure, with an indulgent and detailed story in hand, the run time of 214 minutes no doubt becomes intimidating and a tighter edit could have turned it into a major cinematic masterpiece, yet the stakes and the cast keep you hooked throughout. And though some viewers may feel disappointed as the several of those massy visuals seen in the trailer have been left out for part two. But, if this this is only the first half of the whole story, then I can’t imagine how insane the journey ahead is going to be.

Structured into different chapters, the story begins the Kandahar episode of the IC-814 hijack in 1999. Outraged by India’s capitulation to the hijackers, intelligence chief Ajay Sanyal (R. Madhavan) sets up a proposal for a counter-attack, but ends up bowing down to the bureaucracy. But with things only escalating with the Parliament attack in 2001, he gets the support of Devarat Kapoor (Akash Khurana), the Indian Minister of External Affairs, to launch Operation Dhurandhar.

Under which, a weapon, namely Hamza Ali Mazari (Ranveer Singh), a man with no family or purpose, would infiltrate Pakistan’s core – the underworld, the very machinery that fuels global terrorism and stay perpetually two steps ahead. As per the mission, Hamza lands in Lyari, the notorious gangland of Karachi in Pakistan, and works his way into the criminal enterprise run by a Balochi gangster named Rehman Dakait (Akshaye Khanna) and his cousin Uzair (Danish Pandor), and is backed by Jameel Jamali (Rakesh Bedi), a local notorious politician.

Even wooing Jameel’s daughter Yalina (Sara Arjun) to set up a stability. However, complicating matters for him is SP Chaudhary Aslam (Sanjay Dutt), who is known for his extreme detestation towards Balochis, and Major Iqbal (Arjun Rampal) from the ISI, a man committed to making India bleed.

Here, Aditya Dhar‘s direction is solid throughout and his grip on the subject clear, although the dialogue occasionally overwhelms the violent action. The choice to treat the narrative in this textured, chapter based format gives the film an unusual rhythm, and the first half spends nearly 120 minutes just set up the environment, packed with danger and adrenaline without ever feeling hollow. The narrative details how Pakistan’s gangs, politicians, and intelligence agency ISI operate as a nexus, combining their power to unleash terror against India.

Surprisingly, the film’s biggest swing is in his portrayal of Pakistan, framed as the nurturer-in-chief of terrorism. It is not caricatured, but surprisingly nuanced, especially politically. Delving also into the Balochistan conflict, offering a rare mainstream peek into internal fractures and infiltration routes. Production designer Saini S Johray has no doubt done a fabulous job behind the recreation.

Amid the chaos which and intensity we also get a romantic track, which to one’s surprise addresses the age gap between the two leads, where Yalina’s father shames Hamza for approaching a 19-year-old when he must be at least 32 himself. But it’s the second half where the film shifts gears swiftly. The tension continuously just builds, brains are blown to bits, wires are driven into skin, people are hung from ceiling fans, and the infamous torture scene with an Indian asset, whose body is punctured with fishhooks which we saw at the beginning of the trailer, is even more chilling in the film.

Archival footage also makes on-and-off appearances, featuring real faces and names. Among the standout moments is the film’s use of real-life 26/11 footage, particularly how live Indian news broadcasts inadvertently aided terrorists and their handlers monitoring the attacks in real time. It’s an uncomfortable reminder of how the choreography was being designed in plain sight. But it is the wild, calculated, imaginative, and strangely beautiful climax that delivers the release that viewers have been waiting for.

In a world where action films keep resorting to predictable patterns, this one boldly refuses to follow the script and the result is a finale that that genuinely thrills. The soundtrack too delivers one banger after another. The background score and yet lesser-known songs including remixed versions of old classics are so seamlessly and intricately put into the film’s structure that the music acts yet another huge bonus in elevating your experience.

But of course, the performances are the biggest highlight. Ranveer Singh carries the film with complete restrain, saving his rage for the moments that demand it. The tug of war between maintaining his cover and watching his country be humiliated is conveyed with real conviction. Sara Arjun makes a confident debut and shares excellent chemistry with Ranveer, with their dynamic adding the necessary softness to an otherwise relentless narrative.

Akshaye Khanna gives a masterclass in simmering intensity and is thoroughly watchable in all shades of emotions. It’s one of his most commanding performances ever. Sanjay Dutt slips naturally into a role that thrives on machismo and honestly, it is refreshing to see him lean into something with more nuance. R. Madhavan is in terrific form throughout. Arjun Rampal doesn’t appear much in the film, but folds into his character with ease. Rakesh Bedi is pitch-perfect as a crafty politician who breezes in with humor. An unrecognizable Gaurav Gera also leaves a strong impression. On the whole, ‘Dhurandhar’ is an exceptionally made epic, sprawling, muscular, politically sharp espionage action thriller that delivers all the way.