'Mind blown and proud': Vivek Agnihotri lauds 'Dhurandhar'
What's the story
Vivek Agnihotri, the director of The Kashmir Files, has praised Aditya Dhar's latest film, Dhurandhar. In a detailed review on X (formerly Twitter), Agnihotri said he was "mind blown" and "proud" of the film. He also lauded its "vision, writing, confidence, and belief in instinct." The film stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, and Arjun Rampal, among others.
Technical praise
Agnihotri highlighted 'Dhurandhar's technical brilliance
Agnihotri also praised the film's technical aspects. He called the production design by Saini Johra "pathbreaking," adding that it was "not just decorative but narrative." He described Shashwat Sachdev's music as "extraordinary" and "deeply rooted," and hailed Vikas Nowlakha's cinematography as a "new textbook for young directors of photography."
Performance praise
'Dhurandhar' performances and department cohesion lauded
Agnihotri further praised the performances in Dhurandhar, saying even the smallest characters delivered "top-notch performances." He emphasized that every department was in rare sync, working as "one organism." "That kind of cohesion doesn't happen by accident. That's when you know it's purely a writer/director's film," he wrote. He also praised Dhar for raising the bar. He wrote, "You are blessed. Truly. God's own child. More power to you."
Twitter Post
Read the full review here
DHURANDHAR
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 5, 2026
Just landed back in India after two months and the first thing we did was watch @AdityaDharFilms Dhurandhar.
Mind blown and proud are the only words that come to my mind.
Anyone who knows what goes into making a film would understand what it takes to pull something…
Box office triumph
'Dhurandhar' is a major box office success
Dhurandhar has emerged as one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time. The film's success has been celebrated by industry peers, including Agnihotri and Anurag Kashyap. The latter had earlier praised the film while mentioning two dialogues he didn't like and reflecting on its politics. Dhurandhar also stars Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun, and Danish Pandor. The sequel will release on March 19, 2026.