Aditya Dhar introduces the ‘soul’ of Dhurandhar, and it's not Ranveer Singh: ‘He never once let the vision falter’

Aditya Dhar heaps praise on the man who gave Dhurandhar its soul and expressed gratitude to him for carrying the weight of the film on his shoulder.

Filmmaker Aditya Dhar is currently riding high on the success of Dhurandhar: The Revenge. The film has been enjoying a dream run at the box office and continues to shatter records. Amid its massive success, Aditya introduced audiences to the man he believes is the “soul” of Dhurandhar, and is the film’s cinematographer, Vikash Nowlakha.

Aditya Dhar with Dhurandhar's cinematographer Vikash Nowlakha.

Aditya Dhar praises cinematographer Vikash Nowlakha

On Sunday, Aditya took to Instagram and shared a series of BTS pictures showing Vikash behind the camera, capturing some of the film’s most striking shots. Alongside the photos, he penned a heartfelt note praising Vikash’s dedication to the project and expressing gratitude for helping bring his vision to life in the best possible way.

He wrote, “Here’s to Vikash Nowlakha, the eye, the instinct, and the soul behind Dhurandhar. He was the last HOD to come on board, Dhurandhar. Just a few days before we began. And knowing how deeply selective he is, that timing meant everything. It felt less like onboarding a cinematographer and more like destiny quietly stepping in at the right moment. I still remember what he said after reading the script, ‘I’ve waited 30 years to do a film like this. I’ll give my life to it.’ And he meant every word.”

The filmmaker went on to praise Vikash’s dedication to his craft and wrote, “What followed was not just work, it was devotion. Through impossible schedules, through chaos that often felt unmanageable, through shooting what was essentially two films in the time and cost of one, Vikash stood at the centre of it all, steady and relentless. Carrying the weight of the film quite literally on his shoulders, pushing through the burning heat of Amritsar and the harsh cold of Leh, he never once let the vision falter.”

Aditya further explained that what makes Vikash rare is not just his endurance, but the “soul in his gaze”, his eye for detail, his emotional intelligence behind the lens, and his ability to understand not just what a scene looks like, but what it feels like. He added, “Every frame in Dhurandhar breathes because he allowed it to. He didn’t just capture moments, he gave them life. His inputs on set were never loud, but always precise. Always truthful. Always elevating the film. There are many who shoot films. Vikash lived this one.”

He concluded, “And in doing so, he has given Dhurandhar something that cannot be manufactured — a soul. I feel immense gratitude, respect, and affection for the artist he is, and the human being he brought into this journey. This film carries his imprint forever. And I know this is only the beginning — the stories we will tell together from here on will go even further, shine even brighter, and create something truly timeless.”

The film’s cast also cheered for Vikash in the comment section. Sara Arjun called him “the best”. Udaybir Sandhu wrote, “Your craft, creativity and vision elevates everything you touch, sir. It’s truly a privilege to witness your work and be captured on film by you. 🙌🏻 Keep surfing and being the amazing human that you are.” Naveen Kaushik also praised his calmness and cheered for his hard work and success.

About Vikash Nowlakha

Vikash Nowlakha is a popular cinematographer who has worked as director of photography on feature films such as Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, Laapataa Ladies, Brahmāstra Part One: Shiva, and most recently, Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar: The Revenge.

About Dhurandhar’s success

The first part of the duology was released in December 2025 and emerged as a blockbuster, collecting over ₹1300 crore worldwide. The second part took a bumper opening of ₹145 crore and has so far collected over ₹1500 crore globally. Helmed by Aditya Dhar, the spy thriller stars Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, R. Madhavan and Sanjay Dutt in key roles.