- Dhurandhar became India's biggest franchise with earnings of Rs 3,000 crore
- Director Aditya Dhar spent an extra Rs 100 crore on peak detailing for the film
- Madhavan's character is modeled on India's NSA Ajit Doval in Dhurandhar
Dhurandhar, which became India's biggest franchise with Rs 3,000 crore, scripted history for more than one reason. One of the big takeaways from the film was its "peak detailing," which triggered a meme fest across social media. Speaking about director Aditya Dhar's vision and the audience's response, Madhavan said he wouldn't have believed in the process had Dhurandhar not been successful.
"Can you imagine a project that is so lengthy — like eight hours — in which you have to invest time to add details you have in your mind, but which might be missed?" Madhavan asked during a conversation with Gulte.com.
"Somebody told me that Aditya Dhar spent an extra Rs 100 crore for this peak detailing. Before the film's release, I would have asked, who would watch all of this? Who would have thought about these?" Madhavan added.
"But after Dhurandhar's success, I realised that when the intent is correct and you are insinuating something — leave alone showing something — people will get it. Because people are far more advanced than we give them credit for. That's a big takeaway from Dhurandhar for me," Madhavan said.
Madhavan plays Ajay Sanyal, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau. His character is closely modeled on India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.
Aditya Dhar's response to meme detailing
On the occasion of his 43rd birthday, the director took to social media to express his gratitude to the audience. "Sitting here today, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. For the journey, for the team that has always walked beside me, and for the faith so many of you have shown in my work over the years," Dhar wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Hinting that he's noticing the online conversations about him and the movie, he noted that he had come across the "Peak detailing by Aditya Dhar" memes. "Reading all your messages, tweets, stories and all the 'Peak detailing by Aditya Dhar' memes, my heart is full. I wish I could personally respond to each one of you, but please know how deeply I value all your love and encouragement."
"None of this is something I take for granted. In an industry where nothing is guaranteed and every film is a leap of faith, the trust of the audience means everything," he added.
"If this year has taught me anything, it is to never lose belief in your dreams, however big they might be. Show up with honesty. Give your work everything you have. And the universe will respond. Trust that every small step and every struggle is slowly leading us exactly where we are meant to be," he concluded.
About Dhurandhar
Also starring Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi in key roles, Dhurandhar 2 is jointly produced by Aditya Dhar, Jyoti Deshpande, and Lokesh Dhar under the banners of Jio Studios and B62 Studios. The spy actioner was released in December last year. In March this year, the second instalment, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, hit theatres, cementing its position as the biggest hit of the year.