"Ghayal hoon isliye ghatak hoon." While this one-liner looks like an ode to Sunny Deol's '90s action films, it also sums up Ranveer Singh's feelings of waiting his turn for far too long. Just like its runtime of 3 hours 32 minutes, it took a long time for Dhurandhar to arrive in theatres.
Without an iota of doubt, Ranveer Singh is back with a bang, proving that he can become anyone, anything -- and Dhurandhar is proof. He is feral, shrewd, and a mean killing machine who somehow also has a beating heart in Aditya Dhar's indulgent movie that meanders between being a high-octane cross-border spy thriller and gangster saga.
The plot had already 'leaked' days before the release, so yes, while Dhurandhar is set against the backdrop of the 1999 IC-814 Kandahar hijack and the 2001 Parliament attack, the first part of the film packs a lot more.
Continuing the broad-stroked sentiment of revenge from Uri: The Surgical Strike, Aditya Dhar takes the tagline of his 2019 debut much farther when Ranveer Singh's character in the Dhurandhar end credits says, "Ye naya Bharat hai, ye ghar mein ghusega bhi aur maarega bhi."
The events in Dhurandhar kickstart from December 30, 1999, a day before hostages of the Kandahar hijack were set to be freed after India agrees to release three Pakistani terrorists -- Masood Azhar, Omar Sheikh, and Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar. We meet Ajay Sanyal of the Intelligence Bureau, played by a dependable R Madhavan, who is dead against letting the terrorists go but fails before the bureaucracy.
After more damage is done, the minister of external affairs -- who looks a lot like Jaswant Singh but is named Devavrat Kapoor -- finally relents and allows Ajay Sanyal to get his way. The two drink to the beginning of what is a secret programme codenamed 'Dhurandhar'.
Under this project, we see this "weapon", a man with no family or purpose, land in Lyari, the notorious gangland of Karachi in Pakistan. The name of this weapon is Humza Ali Mazari, later revealed to be Jaskirat Singh Rangli, played by Ranveer Singh.
Why Lyari, you ask? We are told that whoever sits on Lyari's throne gets to Karachi and thereby rules Pakistan.
Dhurandhar details how Pakistan's gangs, politicians, and intelligence agency ISI operate as a nexus, combining their power to unleash terror against India. The film also touches upon the friction between resident Pakistanis and Balochs living in Pakistan.
The only cast member who almost steals Ranveer Singh's thunder is the phenomenal Akshaye Khanna. As the respected and feared Lyari gangster, based on the real-life Rehman 'Dakait' Baloch, who wants legitimacy as a political leader, Akshaye Khanna is thoroughly watchable in all shades of emotions.
Sanjay Dutt's SP Chaudhry Aslam -- also based on the real-life Pakistani supercop of the same name-- is menacing. His character, benched as SP for seven years, only comes back to clean up Lyari on the request of conniving Pakistani politician Jameel Jamaali, when he is promised a Lyari Task Force that will work on “mah rules, and with mah boys”.
Arjun Rampal's Major Iqbal of ISI doesn't appear much in the film, but that doesn't stop the actor from making an impression. The infamous torture scene with an Indian asset, whose body is punctured with fishhooks which we saw at the beginning of the Dhurandhar trailer, is even more chilling in the film.
Before Major Iqbal's cruelty hits crescendo, he calmly rolls up his sleeves, chooses an apron from the wall, and wears gloves, ensuring his clothes don't get bloody. And this is not the only time, the viewer will witness brutality, gore, and graphic violence (You've been warned.)
That's the first time we see Humza on the verge of blowing his cover, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, a scene that is a testament to what a fine performer Ranveer Singh is.
Debutante Sara Arjun does her best as Yalina, the rebellious young daughter of Jameel Jamaali (a terrific Rakesh Bedi). To one's surprise, the age gap between the two leads is addressed head-on during a strategic conversation where Yalina's father shames Humza for approaching a 19-year-old when he must be at least 32 himself.
Special shout-out to Gaurav Gera (Nandu from Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin), who is unrecognisable in the film. Let us know if you spot him.
Aditya Dhar once again entrusts the film's background score to his Uri collaborator Shashwat Sachdev, who doesn't disappoint. Shashwat Sachdev cleverly uses classic Pakistani songs like Hasan Jahangir's Hawa Hawa, and ghazals like Ghulam Ali's Chupke Chupke, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's Afreen Afreen, along with Indian bangers like Piya Tu Ab To Aaja and Rambha Ho! as the story flows. The film's jukebox has gems such as the title track, the reimagined Karvan qawwali, and Ez-Ez that should be checked out.
What may put you off is the episode-wise breakdown of the film and the second half, which feels like a completely different film altogether. Archival footage also makes on-and-off appearances, featuring real faces and names. A long disclaimer at the beginning states the film is a mix of real and fictional, including names such as Arshad Pappu, Benazir Bhutto, and Aaqib Ali Zarwari. Take your pick.
Some viewers may be disappointed because several visuals in the Dhurandhar trailer belong to part two, which will release in cinemas on March 19, 2026.
Dhurandhar doesn't end with a "Kattappa ne Baahubali ko kyun maara?"-like, but audiences will be back in theatres come March to see where the film goes before it concludes. Hopefully, part two does justice to Ranveer Singh the actor.
Also Read | Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar Becomes Bollywood's Longest Film In 17 Years Since Jodhaa Akbar
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Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi.
