- After Dhurandhar's success, Aditya Dhar has established himself as one of the most successful Indian directors
- Dhurandhar went on to become the highest-grossing Hindi film
- But Aditya Dhar's journey to this success was far from predictable
After the massive success of Dhurandhar, filmmaker Aditya Dhar has firmly established himself as one of the most successful directors in Indian cinema today. The spy action saga, which released on December 5, 2025, went on to become the highest-grossing Hindi film worldwide, earning over Rs 1300 crore globally and rewriting several box office records during its theatrical run.
With the sequel Dhurandhar: The Revenge now set to release on March 19, the spotlight is once again on the filmmaker behind the blockbuster franchise.
But Aditya Dhar's journey to this success was far from predictable. Long before he became a filmmaker, he had dreamt of a career in cricket. However, a setback in the sport eventually pushed him towards cinema.
Recently, veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan shared an insight into his early struggles and the turning point that brought him to Mumbai.
When Politics Ended Aditya Dhar's Cricket Dream
Speaking to Mashable India, Priyadarshan revealed that Aditya Dhar was once a promising cricketer but could not continue the sport because of politics within the system.
The filmmaker said, "He was a cricketer but he could not get into the Under-19 team because of some political influence so he was moved out. He was very disappointed sitting at home. Someone called him to see a film, and that was Gardish. He said he saw Gardish and said, 'This is something I want to do and I came to Mumbai'."
The disappointment of being pushed out of cricket eventually became the turning point in Aditya Dhar's life.
Early Struggles In The Film Industry
Even after arriving in Mumbai, Aditya Dhar's journey was not easy. According to Priyadarshan, the young writer-director had already faced frustration within the industry before meeting him.
"He came to me when he was very disappointed with a few films which actually he penned, but he never got the credit," the filmmaker recalled.
Aditya Dhar eventually began working with Priyadarshan as an assistant director in the early 2010s. During that time, he was also writing dialogues and developing his storytelling skills.
Priyadarshan recalled their collaboration fondly and spoke about the Dhurandhar director's strengths as a writer.
"When Aditya was working with me, he was also writing dialogues so for three years, I think, we worked together."
The filmmaker also said it is difficult to predict someone's future in the industry, but he always saw promise in Aditya Dhar.
"When Aditya was working with me, he was also writing dialogues so for three years, I think, we worked together. I was always positive about him because he had a wonderful language. That was his biggest asset at that time," he said.
From Setbacks To A Rs 1300 Crore Blockbuster
Years later, Aditya Dhar has become one of the most successful filmmakers in the country, thanks to the phenomenal success of Dhurandhar.
Released in theatres on December 5, 2025, the film stars Ranveer Singh as Hamza Ali Mazari, a mysterious stranger who arrives in Lyari in Pakistan's Karachi and slowly rises through the ranks of local ganglord Rehman Dakait's crew, played by Akshaye Khanna.
The ensemble cast also includes Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, and Sanjay Dutt.
The film opened with Rs 28 crore in India, marking the biggest opening day of Ranveer Singh's career. Within its first week, it had collected Rs 218 crore domestically and continued to set new benchmarks at the box office.
Dhurandhar delivered Ranveer Singh's highest single-day collection with Rs 58 crore on its second Sunday and crossed Rs 500 crore in India within just 16 days.
Globally, the film crossed Rs 1000 crore within 21 days and eventually went on to earn over Rs 1300 crore worldwide. In the process, it surpassed several major blockbusters, including Pushpa 2: The Rule, RRR, KGF Chapter 2, Pathaan, and Jawan.
The film also became the highest-grossing Hindi film worldwide and one of the biggest global successes of 2025.
The sequel, titled Dhurandhar: The Revenge, is scheduled to release in theatres on March 19, with paid preview screenings planned a day earlier on March 18.
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