'Art, politics shouldn't merge': Manav Gohil says 'Dhurandhar' isn't 'propaganda'
What's the story
Manav Gohil, who stars in the blockbuster Dhurandhar franchise, has defended the movie against "propaganda" allegations. Speaking to News18, he said, "Cinema is purely a medium of creative expression. The moment you put the baggage of politics and morality on it, you're constraining its wings that otherwise let it fly." "Art and politics shouldn't be merged. People do it, but I can't have an opinion on that because that's just how the world functions today."
Film reference
Gohil draws parallels with Hollywood films
Gohil pointed out that Hollywood films based on political espionage, like Zero Dark Thirty, don't face such scrutiny. He said, "When Zero Dark Thirty was made, they didn't make a comment on it. The international media didn't speak about the politics for a lot of other films." "As for Dhurandhar and these conversations, I think it's a validation. The film is doing so well."
Name controversy
On the use of the name Jaskirat Singh Rangi
The film has also been under scrutiny for its use of the name Jaskirat Singh Rangi (played by Ranveer Singh), which was also used in Aditya Dhar's 2019 film Uri: The Surgical Strike. Gohil, who joined Dhurandhar close to its shoot date, said he wasn't involved in discussions about the name. He added, "But clearly, this name isn't new to Aditya. It must really mean something to him."
Box office success
Meanwhile, 'Dhurandhar 2' is breaking records
Meanwhile, Dhurandhar 2, the sequel to the hit film, is also doing well at the box office. Despite being labeled as propaganda by some netizens, it has been breaking records and will soon cross the ₹1,000 crore mark at the domestic box office. The film stars Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera, and Danish Pandor.