‘So much blood and mayhem’: Shashi Tharoor reviews Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar, questions propaganda, gruesome violence and portrayal of India-Pakistan

The two installments, released in December 2025 and March 2026, have reportedly collected more than ₹3,100 crore worldwide.

Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has praised Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar films for their filmmaking and performances, but he has reservations about the violence and political messaging in the franchise. After watching both parts of Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller, the politician said he enjoyed the sequel Dhurandhar: The Revenge more than the first film. However, he felt several violent scenes were unnecessarily graphic and questioned how the films portray India-Pakistan relations. The two installments, released in December 2025 and March 2026, have reportedly collected more than ₹3,100 crore worldwide.

Shashi Tharoor says Dhurandhar 2 is better than the first film

Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has praised Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar films for their filmmaking and performances, but he has reservations about the violence and political messaging in the franchise.

In an almost seven minute video posted on his official YouTube channel, Shashi shared his thoughts on both films and made it clear that the second instalment stood out for him. “As a work of fiction, as a work of entertainment, there is no doubt that the second part is superb,” he stated.

While he appreciated the sequel as a work of entertainment, he was critical of the violence shown in the franchise. He felt the filmmakers could have told the story without relying on so many disturbing scenes. “There was no need to show so much violence, blood, mayhem, cruelty and some of the most disgusting scenes ever seen in Indian cinema,” he added, describing the graphic content as “totally excessive and over the top.”

Shashi Tharoor addresses the propaganda debate

“Things that I don't like; there is far too much gruesome violence. It was totally excessive and over the top. There was no need to show so much of violence, blood and mayhem, cruelty and some of the most disgusting scenes ever seen in Indian cinema,” he said. “There is a lot of propaganda stuff built into it obviously and I gather the film has been banned in many countries, not just in Pakistan, but many of the Gulf countries have banned it, saying it would needlessly create bad blood between Indians and Pakistanis, so I can understand those feelings,” the politician added.

He also wondered how Pakistani viewers might react if they watched the films. He suggested that some dialogues might be received with humour, while other parts could lead audiences to reflect on actions carried out in their country's name. “I don’t know how Pakistanis will react if they see this. Some of the lines, I think Pakistanis will laugh. Some of the other things, I think Pakistanis will realise how much wrong has been done in their name,” he went onto say.

Ranveer Singh in a still from Dhurandhar.

Shashi Tharoor talks about his own experience

Dhurandhar follows an undercover intelligence operative Jaskirat Singh Rangi alias Hamza Ali Mazari, with the story featuring secret missions and high-stakes operations. Shashi said his own interactions with intelligence officials had been very different from what the films show. He explained that his experience involved discussions, analysis and sharing information, rather than the dramatic, covert operations depicted on screen.

“I have dealt with a lot of our intelligence people but in a very civilised way, having analysis, conversations, information exchanges but not really getting into any cloak and dagger stuff. I am certainly not aware of commands being given that lead to explosions in faraway capitals. That’s not the world I have ever lived in,” he explained.

Shashi also questioned the timeline surrounding R Madhavan’s character Ajay Sanyal, who is loosely inspired by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He found it difficult to accept the idea of a single bureaucrat holding the same position from the late 1990s to the present day, and stressed that the story should be viewed as fiction. “I think it would be too much of a stretch to assume that’s true. So I would see this as a fictional film that tells a story which obviously is meant to impart a certain sense of lessons as well,” he said.

Shashi Tharoor praises the performances and production

Despite his criticism, Shashi acknowledged the effort that has gone into making the two films. He praised their visual treatment, sets, production design, direction and acting, noting that the scale of the franchise makes it a memorable cinematic experience. He described the films as “vividly made,” adding that they are “bound to have an impact on anyone who has an imagination or a mind.” He also praised the “competent acting” and “superb sort of sets, design, direction.”

Looking back at the experience of watching both instalments, he said the films had left him with a sense of having witnessed something on a grand scale. “At the end of 8 hours, you feel you have been through a major cinematic experience,” he concluded.

The Dhurandhar franchise stars Ranveer Singh alongside Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun and R Madhavan in pivotal roles.