Ram Gopal Varma Hails Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, Says Filmmakers Can Learn From Its Success
19 Dec 2025 5:52 PM IST19 Dec 2025 5:52 PM IST
Director Ram Gopal Varma called Dhurandhar a wake-up call for Indian cinema, praised Aditya Dhar’s vision, Ranveer Singh’s acting, and the film’s fearless storytelling.
Ram Gopal Varma, Ranveer Singh, Aditya Dhar (Image Source: Internet)
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, after watching Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar starring Ranveer Singh, Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Akshaye Khanna in the lead roles, took to X to share his review in his trademark style.
In a detailed post, Varma praised director Aditya Dhar and took a sharp dig at other filmmakers, suggesting they should learn lessons from Dhurandhar-1. He emphasized that the film’s success is not just another blockbuster milestone but a wake-up call for the industry to “grow up.”
Sharing a nine-point analysis of the movie, Varma lauded Ranveer Singh for stepping back and allowing Akshaye Khanna to take the lead as required by the script. He described this as a testament to Ranveer’s deep understanding of cinema.
The Shiva director went on to commend every aspect of Dhurandhar’s filmmaking, noting that the film treats cinema as “confrontation, not consumption.” According to him, the movie doesn’t aim to merely entertain for three and a half hours; its true intention is to linger in the audience’s mind long after the credits roll. He thanked Aditya Dhar for inspiring filmmakers of the past, present, and future to retrace their steps.
Director Aditya Dhar responded with an equally elaborate post, reflecting the mutual admiration between the two filmmakers. Dhar revealed that when he first came to Mumbai, he had hoped to work under Ram Gopal Varma, whose films taught him how to make movies and “think dangerously.” He admitted that Varma was one of his favorite directors, someone who made Indian cinema feel fearless, unapologetic, and alive. Dhar added that as a fan, simply having Varma watch Dhurandhar was validation enough, and he hoped to live up to the praise in his next film.
Veteran actor and former MP Paresh Rawal also joined the conversation by sharing Varma’s tweet, indirectly taking a jab at critics of Dhurandhar. He wrote: “Hey Ramu, thanks for teaching our so-called critics how to review a film! Hope they grow up!” Varma replied in his signature flamboyant style: “Sirrrr, every once in a while the industry needs a shot in the arm—and AdityaDharFilms STABBED IT!”
Meanwhile, Dhurandhar has emerged as the biggest hit of Ranveer Singh’s career to date, with worldwide box office collections expected to cross ₹800 crore soon. Released on December 5, 2025, the film’s sequel, Dhurandhar-2, is already scheduled to hit theaters on March 19, 2026.
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