'Dhurandhar 2'-'Toxic' clash: RGV hypes Ranveer's film, trolls Yash's actioner
What's the story
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has sparked a debate over the upcoming box office clash between Yash's Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown Ups and Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar: The Revenge. He emphasized that this clash is not just geographical but a battle of two different cinematic sensibilities. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he said that while Dhurandhar respects the audience's intelligence, Toxic presumes their "dumbness."
Comparison
'Mindless hero worship' vs. 'audience discovering heroes'
Varma drew a stark contrast between the two films. He wrote, "Mindless hero worship VERSUS the audience themselves discovering heroes through their moral actions in the story." "Gravity-defying stunts that mock physics and insult every school kid whoever studied Newton versus the Dhurandhar action so raw and real that one actually feels the punches." "₹700cr spent to make one guy look like an invincible God versus ₹130cr spent to make every character in Dhurandhar feel equally human."
Director's perspective
Varma's comparison continues
Varma further added, "Treating audiences like dumb idiots who must clap and whistle on every cue versus treating them like adults who can follow a complex plot." "Ultra slow-motion hero entry shots and flying hair straight out of a shampoo ad versus cold, calculating intelligence that actually challenges the viewer." He also criticized Toxic for its high budget spent on "VFX fireworks" and "eyesore sets."
Disclaimer
Which film will prevail? RGV asks
Varma concluded his post with a disclaimer, stating that his love for Dhurandhar director Aditya Dhar did not influence his views. He added, "But it is my HOPE for INDIAN CINEMA. I am waiting with bated breath for MARCH 19th to know if INDIA is DHURANDHAR or TOXIC."
Expectations
Meanwhile, here's more about the 2 films
Dhurandhar: The Revenge is a sequel to last year's blockbuster Dhurandhar. Dhar's spy thriller will delve into the backstory of Singh's character Hamza as he fulfills his mission by taking over a criminal syndicate in Pakistan. Toxic is also set to present a narrative defined by gore and violence. It marks Yash's first film since the KGF franchise and also stars Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth, and Tara Sutaria.