Priyadarshan defends 'Dhurandhar 2' against 'propaganda' allegations
What's the story
As Dhurandhar: The Revenge continues its unprecedented box office run, the film has also been accused of being "propaganda." Veteran director Priyadarshan has now defended the film and its director, Aditya Dhar, stating that its success is a testament to audience acceptance. In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Priyadarshan spoke about Dhar's early struggles and his filmmaking journey.
Filmmaker's journey
Priyadarshan recalls Dhar's early struggles
Speaking about Dhar's journey, Priyadarshan said, "He was very disheartened [when his scripts were allegedly used without due credit], but he never told me until he started working for me." "When we were sitting together...he told me how disheartened he had become and how he had decided to come into filmmaking." "When your children and disciples come up in life, that's the best joy you can ever have. So I feel very good to hear what Aditya has achieved."
Film's intent
Priyadarshan says India has accepted 'Dhurandhar'
Addressing the ongoing criticism, Priyadarshan firmly dismissed claims of propaganda. He said, "There's nothing like propaganda. You are just bringing the truth in front of the people." "When the whole of India has accepted it, then why do some people's opinions matter? India has watched and accepted it. There are no bigger hits." "Do you think those people who have watched the film are fools?"
Film's success
Vetrimaaran recently took an indirect dig at the movie
His comments come amid an ongoing debate, especially after filmmaker Vetrimaaran recently slammed "hate propaganda" films, seemingly referring to Dhurandhar 2. The film stars Ranveer Singh in the lead role, with Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, and Rakesh Bedi in supporting roles. Set against Karachi's Lyari backdrop, it follows an Indian spy infiltrating the underworld to dismantle a terror network. The film has reportedly crossed ₹1,200 crore worldwide and continues to perform strongly in theaters.