'Dhurandhar' review: Ranveer's overlong thriller only works in parts
What's the story
Aditya Dhar's ambitious spy-thriller, Dhurandhar, finally hit theaters on Friday. Starring Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, and Arjun Rampal, the film features impactful, memorable performances from the entire cast. Khanna and Singh, particularly, give their all to the film and enjoy the most screentime. However, at 214 minutes, Dhurandhar is among Bollywood's lengthiest films, and this becomes its biggest undoing.
Plot
An Indian spy enters Pakistan in this high-stakes story
Singh plays Hamza Ali Mazari, an Indian spy who infiltrates the Pakistani underworld. In Karachi's Lyari, he smartly befriends the local gangster Rehman Dakait (Khanna) and ISI's Major Iqbal (Rampal). Sara Arjun (20) essays Hamza's girlfriend, while Rakesh Bedi plays Jameel Yamali, a prominent Pakistani politician. Can Hamza prevent the terrorist attacks in India before it's too late, or will his cover be blown?
#1
Singh makes his much-awaited comeback
Dhurandhar is a wild, important turn for Singh, who had not been seen in an author-backed role like this for the past few years. Owing to his character's demand, he mostly maintains an enigmatic, deadpan expression, and finally comes into his own in the climax. Dhar draws committed performances from Khanna, Bedi, and Rampal, too, and Dutt finally gets a role worth his salt.
#2
Some intense sequences stay with you
The gore is excessive, but the film delivers some impactful terrorism sequences. The one revolving around 26/11 is particularly chilling; even when we don't see any brutality on-screen, we feel the ache and pain of the victims. From the very beginning, Dhar crafts a believable world: the gang wars are ruthless, everyone's lives hang by a thread, and there's simply no room for mistakes.
#3
However, ineffective BGM and lengthy runtime harm it
A film like this, which features many intense, time-sensitive sequences, needed throbbing, pulsating background music. Alas, Shashwat Sachdev's BGM is feeble and ineffective and doesn't help the narrative. Another gripe I have with the film is its shockingly, needlessly long runtime. The first half alone runs for two hours, and I might have aged a few years waiting for the fight sequences to finish.
#4
Jumps rapidly from one event to the next
The film claims that, though inspired by true events, it isn't a documentary. However, it feels like one. Featuring real conversations between 26/11 terrorists and archival footage from terrorist attacks, it feels like an awkwardly made docu-drama. The lack of transition between scenes is jarring, important dialogues are splashed across the screen (what if you forget them?), and the story takes forever to unfold.
#5
A lengthy film that isn't interested in giving answers
Dhurandhar could have been so much more had it fleshed out all the characters equally. Currently, it feels like everyone except Hamza and Rehman is largely ignored. Plus, in this male-dominated film, there are barely any women, and Saumya Tandon, who plays Rehman's wife, barely gets any dialogue. Moreover, when an over-3-hour-long movie abruptly ends on a cliffhanger, it's hard not to feel cheated.
Verdict
Wait for its OTT release; 2.5/5 stars
Had Dhar chopped off some parts, Dhurandhar would have felt less sluggish and far more exhilarating and nail-biting. It has incredible potential and a rich premise, but its frequent roadblocks keep it from soaring. The runtime is another deterrent, and Dhurandhar is a better fit for OTT to savor the ensemble cast's performances. 2.5/5 stars.