'Wake up...': Saif Ali Khan gushes about 'Dhurandhar'
What's the story
Saif Ali Khan recently spoke about the impact of Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar films on Indian cinema. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, he said that these movies have brought a significant change in how music is used in mainstream storytelling. "I see a time before Dhurandhar and a time after," he said, adding that it's up to the industry to adapt to this change.
Industry evolution
'It seems like an obvious idea to make amazing music...'
Khan stressed the importance of evolving with changing trends in film music. He said, "It's up to us whether we catch up or not and wake up or not." "It seems like an obvious idea to make amazing music rather than creating a new album for each film, and to draw on all kinds of things from all around the world."
Musical innovation
How 'Dhurandhar' films used music
The Dhurandhar films, directed by Dhar, took a unique approach to music by incorporating original songs, remixes, and recreations into the narrative. Shashwat Sachdev composed the soundtracks for both movies. The first film featured tracks like Shararat and Gehra Hua, while the sequel included new compositions along with recreated songs. Both albums were well-received by audiences and topped streaming charts.
Song integration
Which track does Khan specifically like?
Khan specifically praised Shararat, a dance number featuring Ayesha Khan and Krystle D'Souza. Instead of being treated as a typical promotional dance number, the sequence is placed naturally within the wedding setting. Khan said, "Imagine if that was to change the way of hiring a beautiful leading lady to do an 'item' for you." "If you just treat it as a song...and have these two girls performing as you would in a wedding, it doesn't jar the eyes at all."
Box office triumph
Box office success of the franchise
The Dhurandhar franchise has also been a major box office success. The first film was released in December 2025, followed by Dhurandhar: The Revenge in March 2026. Together, the two films have reportedly grossed over ₹3,100 crore worldwide, with the sequel becoming the second-highest-grossing Indian film of all time, as per Sacnilk. The films starred Ranveer Singh alongside Akshaye Khanna, Rakesh Bedi, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, and Sara Arjun.