Dhurandhar Movie Review (2025): Has Ranveer Singh given Hindi cinema its most realistic political thriller yet?

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
Genre: Political Thriller | Action | Crime
Duration: 3.34 – hour
Certificate: A (Adult – Violence & Language)
Director: Aditya Dhar

Table of Contents

Dhurandhar Movie Review No mix-up, no hype

I’m just coming out of the theater and, to be honest, the words are a little stuck.
Because Dhurandhar is not the kind of Hindi film we have been seeing in the last few years.

Despite such a strong star cast – Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Sanjay Dutt – the film is not a star show but a story game.

The film is directed by Aditya Dhar, who also helmed Uri: The Surgical Strike.
This is his second directorial venture after 2019.

Is Dhurandhar really in two parts? (No Clickbait Zone)

Yes.
Dhurandhar is a two-part film.

The rumors were true.
Approximately 7 hours of footage were shot, and instead of drastically cutting it down, the makers decided to release it in two parts.

👉 But let me be clear:
This decision was made not for financial reasons, but to allow the story to breathe.

The first part:

Completes its own entire arc,
but the overall story’s ending is deliberately withheld.

Story (Spoiler-Free): What is Dhurandhar about?

The story is set in a neighborhood in Karachi,
where power politics is at play between different gangs.

This is not a simple gangster film.

Every character is like a chess piece.
Everyone has their own interests.
No one is a true friend to anyone.

Amidst all this,
Ranveer Singh’s character enters this environment as an undercover agent from India.

Why he’s there, what his real motive is —
the film gradually and cleverly reveals this.

Biggest win: World Building & Writing

If you’ve seen films like Salaar, where 10 names and 10 gangs are thrown together – Dhurandhar is the opposite.

This is the movie:

Gives time to each character
The information is slowly revealed.
Don’t let the audience be confused

The viewer discovers the world along with Ranveer himself.

Dhurandhar Movie Runtime is really 3.5 hours… and still doesn’t get boring

✅ Duration: 3 hours 34 minutes
✅ The longest Hindi film in the last 17 years (even though it’s only Part 1)

The question arises:
What did they show that made it so long?

Answer:
Real-world events have been very cleverly woven into the story.

Some scenes feature:

The use of real-life audio/footage
Just a red background + text on the screen
And real voices in the background

👉 That moment in the theater hits you right in the heart.

This is not a typical India-Pakistan film.

If you thought —

“The same agent again, the same mission again”

No.

❌ No heroic entry
❌ No slow-motion fights
❌ No dramatic dialogues

✅ Everything is grounded
✅ Understated
✅ Realistic

This is a serious political thriller, where power, fear and manipulation are spoken – Don’t shout.

Performances: All the actors in their A-game

🔥 Akshaye Khanna
– Absolute monster performance
– Creates fear without any extra drama

🔥 R. Madhavan
– Many people won’t even recognize him
– So subtle that it touches your heart

🔥 Arjun Rampal & Sanjay Dutt
– Less screen time, more impact

🔥 Ranveer Singh
– Stands in the background in many scenes
– But when he speaks, the scene belongs to him

👉 A rare example where the main actor doesn’t steal the scene, but serves the scene.

Violence & Language – Get ready!

The film has received an A certificate.

There are gals (with a beep)
The violence is brutal.
Gore scenes can be uncomfortable.

After the Intermission, there is a scene where the popcorn can be stopped.

This film is not for everyone.

Honest Drawbacks

1. Love Story Track

Seems a bit long
There might be a future payoff, but it feels extra right now.

2. Some establishing shots

The runtime could have been 10–15 minutes shorter.

👉 These shortcomings are minor, not deal-breakers.

Who should watch this film?

If you’re:

I like serious cinema.
Political thrillers are good.
It’s a habit to notice details

So Dhurandhar is MUST WATCH.

If you’re:

mass masala
loud action
One-liners are required

Maybe it’s not your movie.

Dhurandhar Movie Review Final Verdict

Dhurandhar is a rare category film in Hindi cinema.
No safe play, no formula.

The two-part decision seems to be correct because:

The story is a heavy
It takes time to breathe

The first part creates a strong foundation and the second part will now bring great responsibility.

If you’ve seen it –
Tell me how did you feel?
And if you haven’t seen it, go to the theater.
The film was not released on OTT.

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