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In 1st criticism of Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar 2, Ram Gopal Varma disagrees with portrayal of this character

On a podcast, Ram Gopal Varma who had nothing but praise for Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar films, had criticism only for this particular element. 

Apr 17, 2026, 13:03:10 IST
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Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has been raving about Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar films since the first film was released last December, and the sequel was released in March. However, he has one criticism of Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which concerns the portrayal of a key character in the Ranveer Singh-starrer. On the Hussain Zaidi Files podcast, the Satya director said that it does not align with what he knows.

Ram Gopal Varma says Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar films got this wrong.
Ram Gopal Varma says Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar films got this wrong.

Ram Gopal Varma disagrees with this character’s portrayal in Dhurandhar 2

RGV was asked about Dhurandhar on the podcast, and he called it ‘one of the greatest films ever made’. He stated that his opinion was only as a director, as he had ‘zero understanding of the Pakistan underworld’. He even called it an ‘extraordinary film’ while stating there was one thing he disagreed with.

“The only element I disagree in that is, I feel, the portrayal of Dawood Ibrahim. Everybody will have their own sources. I think that has been shown incorrectly. But it’s not that I claim to be an authority in this. It’s not falling in line with what I know,” he said. When Zaidi mentioned that he heard Dawood once suffered from food poisoning but recovered, despite what was shown in the film, RGV seemed to agree.

Ram Gopal Varma says Dawood Ibrahim inactive by choice

In the film, Dawood is shown as the elusive Bade Sahab, who is the mastermind behind the terror attacks in India. He is shown as a sick and ageing individual who is bedridden but still controls the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) and terror networks. The film also ends with Rakesh Bedi’s character, Jameel Jamali, being revealed as an Indian agent who secretly poisoned Dawood years ago and is responsible for his condition.

Commenting on this narrative, RGV stated that he has also heard rumours that Dawood is inactive because he’s unwell. However, he believes that the reality is otherwise. “He’s inactive because of his choice, not anything else. He stopped doing anything. Forget allegations, anyone’s name can be included in a chargesheet. After the 1993 blasts and Samad Khan’s murder in 1983, everything else is speculation. He retired 20 years back from crime is what I believe. ISI will have far better contacts than Dawood Ibrahim, a retired filmmaker, today.”

RGV also commented that during Osama Bin Laden’s death, he was described as a ‘present danger’ by authorities, while ‘nobody is interested’ in Dawood anymore, putting him in a different category. He also mentioned how other gangsters took over from him after that. The Dhurandhar films also star Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Gaurav Gera, Danish Pandor, and others. They have collectively grossed over 3000 crore worldwide.

  • Neeshita Nyayapati
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Neeshita Nyayapati

    Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More

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