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'Make your own film': Ram Gopal Varma has a stern rebuke for those calling Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar 2 'propaganda'

Ram Gopal Varma, who earlier hailed Dhurandhar The Revenge director Aditya Dhar for redefining Indian cinema, has now addressed the film's critics.

Updated on: Mar 24, 2026, 09:25:20 IST
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Aditya Dhar has found himself a steady cheerleader in veteran filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma. The Satya director has praised the Dhurandhar films profusely over the last three months, saying Aditya has ‘showed a new way of Indian cinema’. Now, he has targeted the film's critics, particularly those who call Dhurandhar The Revenge propaganda.

Ram Gopal Varma has defended Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar 2.
Ram Gopal Varma has defended Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar 2.

In a recent interview with news agency ANI, RGV again praised Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar 2, which released in theatres on March 19 and has been a massive commercial success.

“Calling Dhurandhar just a 'film' doesn't feel right, because maybe in the last 20-30 years, no film has come like this, its scale, its twists, and even without relying heavily on story twists, its structure itself. Aditya has transformed that structure, especially the climax, what do you call it? Even the item songs, though unrealistic, gravity-defying fight scenes, he has packaged everything together in a complete, massive way,” RGV said.

Dhurandhar released in December 2025 and became the second-highest-grossing Hindi film ever, grossing 1300 crore worldwide and setting a new Bollywood box-office record domestically. The sequel has already amassed 850 crore in five days and looks set to surpass part 1.

Ram Gopal Varma addresses Dhurandhar's propaganda charges

Elaborating on what sets Dhurandhar 2 apart, Ram Gopal Varma suggested that the film goes beyond conventional definitions of cinema. But the film has seen its fair share of criticism as well, with many calling it propaganda for the ruling party, and in particular, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But RGV defended the film against that line of critique. “As for propaganda, I don't really understand that term in this context. Everyone has their own viewpoint. If one person is accused, the defence will present their side too. People will share their perspectives. Aditya has shared his point of view through the film. If you don't agree with it, you may call it propaganda or false, but then you can make your own film in response,” Ram Gopal Varma said.

All about Dhurandhar 2

Produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, Dhurandhar 2 features a multi-starrer cast including Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi and Arjun Rampal. Set in Pakistan's Lyari, it focuses on an Indian spy infiltrating the gangs of Karachi while dismantling their aid to the local terror network. The film has received widespread praise from across the industry as well. Actors and filmmakers, including Alia Bhatt, SS Rajamouli, and Kangana, have lauded the project.

  • Abhimanyu Mathur
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Abhimanyu Mathur

    Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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