Priyadarshan says Aditya Dhar 'never got due credit' in Bollywood
What's the story
Veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan recently spoke about his long-standing relationship with Dhurandhar director Aditya Dhar. The two have been associated for many years, with Priyadarshan recalling Dhar's journey from assistant direction and dialogue writing to blockbuster success. "He is one of my best disciples and assistants I've ever had," said the senior director, adding that he recently watched the Ranveer Singh-Akshaye Khanna starrer and "loved it."
Career guidance
Priyadarshan's early influence on Dhar's career
Priyadarshan revealed that he was instrumental in Dhar's early career. "Do you know who wrote the dialogues for the Ajay Devgn and Khanna-starrer Aakrosh (2010)? It was Aditya," he told Mid-Day. "He also wrote the dialogues for Ajay, Anil Kapoor, and Kangana Ranaut-starrer Tezz (2012)." The filmmaker remembered how Dhar had shared his dreams of becoming a filmmaker during their time shooting Tezz in Scotland.
Praise
'Directors...kept him aside'
Further praising Dhar, Priyadarshan said that the Uri director "never got his due credit because the directors took his research, hard work, and talent but kept him aside." "I am very proud of him; he has made it so big." He gushed further, "Aditya is one of my loyal boys; he takes my blessings for everything."
Mutual respect
Dhar's gratitude toward Priyadarshan
Recently, Priyadarshan penned a note of appreciation for Dhar on Instagram. He wrote, "There is no greater happiness than watching my disciple rise with such remarkable success. Congratulations Aditya Dhar on Dhurandhar, and heartfelt best wishes for Dhurandhar 2." Dhar, in turn, expressed his gratitude toward Priyadarshan and wrote, "My dearest Priyan Sir. You believed in me when I was a nobody, and when all I had was conviction and a few written pages."
Film success
'Dhurandhar' and its sequel
Dhurandhar, starring Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi in key roles, has earned ₹800 crore domestically so far. A sequel to the film will be released on March 19, 2026. It will clash with director Geetu Mohandas's Yash-led Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups.