RGV compares Aditya Dhar to Coppola in new 'Dhurandhar' review
What's the story
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has taken to X (formerly Twitter) to pen a detailed review of Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, again. In his new post on the platform, Varma compared Dhar's work with that of legendary director Francis Ford Coppola. He wrote, "From Coppola I learnt intense closeted drama... But now Dhurandhar shows that approach can work far more effectively with scale."
Film's impact
'To design action as an organic and emotional projection'
Varma also praised Dhar for not glorifying heroes and giving equal importance to all characters. "I was one of the first mainstream Indian directors to refuse elevation of heroes...But Dhurandhar invents a never-before-seen...flawed but consequence driven heroes." He wrote, "Another lesson is that violence should hurt the viewer, not just entertain them." "To design action as an organic and emotional projection rather than loud, illogical choreography is a new one, a must-learn lesson, especially for pan-India filmmakers."
Twitter Post
See Varma's post here
From COPPOLA to ADITYA DHAR
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) December 26, 2025
A directors growth not only from what he learnt from previous directors who came before him , but also from directors who came after him ..In that context here are my new learnings from Aditya Dhar’s DURANDHAR
From Coppola I learnt intense closeted…
Narrative structure
Varma's insights on 'Dhurandhar' and its unconventional narrative
Varma also shared his thoughts on Dhurandhar's unconventional narrative structure. He wrote, "I never believed in the so-called three-act structure, but Dhurandhar extends that belief to almost a breaking point, proving that even uneven and fractured narratives can command attention." "The ingredients of Dhurandhar can push stories to be abrupt, unresolved, and sometimes even unfair." "It breaks away from the cliché of tying knots just for the sake of untying them."
Conclusion
Varma's final thoughts on 'Dhurandhar'
Varma concluded his post by quoting Russian-American writer and philosopher Ayn Rand: "Art is not what it is; Art is what it could be." Earlier, Varma had called Dhurandhar a "quantum leap" for Indian cinema. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Rakesh Bedi, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Saumya Tandon, Danish Pandor, and Sara Arjun in pivotal roles. Its second part will release on March 19, 2026 in five languages across India and worldwide.