'Dhurandhar' is sinister, incites hate: 'Dhadak 2' director Shazia Iqbal
What's the story
The acclaimed spy thriller Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, has been heavily criticized by Dhadak 2 director Shazia Iqbal. She called the film "sinister" and accused it of promoting hate and violence. Despite its success on Netflix after a successful theatrical run, the film has faced backlash for its political messages.
Director's stance
Iqbal's post on 'Dhurandhar'
On Sunday, Iqbal took to her Instagram Stories and slammed Dhurandhar. Although she didn't mention the film by name, she added its title track in the background and wrote, "What a sinister film! It's not hidden, it's not unintentional, inciting hate and violence is in [its] DNA." She added, "But it's a 'well-made' film guys...with some cool BGM...well done industry dude bros. glad that most of y'all don't care about minorities enough to even hide your blatant apathy."
Mixed reactions
'Dhurandhar' backed by several filmmakers, actors
Dhurandhar has been praised by several filmmakers and actors for its scale and craft. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has lauded the film's execution, but also stressed that he didn't like "some of its ideologies." He recently said, "The dialogue about 'This is the new India' and one long political monologue, among a total of three scenes, were unnecessary." Actor Hrithik Roshan also shared a similar sentiment in his review, stating he loved the movie despite "disagreeing with its politics."
Film details
Everything to know about 'Dhurandhar'
Dhurandhar is a spy thriller featuring Ranveer Singh as an Indian agent who infiltrates criminal syndicates in Pakistan's Lyari to dismantle a growing terror network. The film also stars Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, and Sanjay Dutt in pivotal roles. It opened to a bumper response at the box office and became an all-time blockbuster, collecting over ₹1,300 crore worldwide. The sequel is set to release on March 19, 2026.