‘Modi govt built Ram Mandir, don’t need us for votes’: Aditya Dhar on ‘propaganda’ row over Dhurandhar 2

Headlined by Ranveer Singh, the nearly four-hour-long film delivers a darker, more intense narrative with higher stakes, blending high-octane action with political drama.

While the film has received massive praise from audiences, a section of viewers has criticised it as “propaganda”, pointing to elements they believe align with the ideology of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

References in the film, including brief portrayals linked to issues such as demonetisation, have drawn criticism from some viewers who allege that the narrative promotes the government’s ideology.

Responding to the criticism, Dhar defended his work, stating that a political party of the BJP’s scale does not require cinematic backing to win elections.

“I genuinely feel that the current government doesn’t need a small film like ours to win an election. They built the Ram Mandir—something that took 500 years to achieve—so I don’t think they rely on us for votes,” Dhar said.

In the film, Singh plays a powerful figure who takes control of Pakistan’s Lyari town following the death of gangster Rehman Dakait, portrayed by Akshaye Khanna. The trailer also hints at Singh in dual roles—Jaskirat Singh Rangi and Hamza—suggesting a layered narrative.

The film also features R. Madhavan as strategist Ajay Sanyal, Arjun Rampal as ISI Major Iqbal, and Sanjay Dutt as SP Chaudhary Aslam.

Released on March 19, Dhurandhar: The Revenge has crossed the ₹1,000 crore mark worldwide, maintaining a strong run at the box office, according to Sacnilk.