Aditya Dhar Moved by RGV’s Glowing Review, Recalls Arriving in Mumbai With a ‘Dream’

Director Aditya Dhar responded with deep humility and emotion to veteran filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma’s effusive review of his film Dhurandhar. Dhar’s heartfelt reply to Varma’s tweet reflected admiration, gratitude, and near disbelief at the praise coming from a filmmaker he has long revered.

“Sir, if this tweet were a film, I would have gone to watch it first day, first show, stood in the last row, and come out changed. I came to Mumbai years ago carrying one suitcase, one dream, and an unreasonable belief that I would one day work under Ram Gopal Varma. That never happened. But somewhere along the way, without knowing it, I worked inside your cinema,” Dhar wrote. He added that Varma’s films did not teach him merely how to make movies, but “how to think dangerously.” Calling the review surreal and deeply emotional, Dhar admitted it felt “a little unfair too.”

Earlier, Ram Gopal Varma — whose recent directorial ventures may not have found much success but whose voice continues to command attention — took to social media to lavish praise on Dhurandhar. Describing it as a landmark film, Varma hailed Dhar as a filmmaker who has pushed Indian cinema forward “by leaps and bounds.”

“Dhurandhar is not a film; it is a quantum leap in Indian cinema. Aditya Dhar has completely and single-handedly changed the future of Indian cinema, be it north or south,” Varma wrote at the beginning of what he termed his longest review ever.

Varma further noted that Dhar is not merely chasing trends but creating a genuine turning point in filmmaking. He singled out the film’s technical brilliance, citing its predatory camera work, immersive sound design, and brutally honest action as elements that elevate Dhurandhar to a global cinematic standard while remaining firmly rooted in its context.

“When the final credits roll, you don’t feel just entertained — you feel altered. And that’s the mark of a filmmaker who isn’t just making movies, but reshaping the very ground that all of us filmmakers stand on,” Varma concluded.