Smriti Irani defends Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar amid outrage: ‘It’s the echo of lives lived and lost’

Smriti Irani took to Instagram to praise the makers of Dhurandhar, giving a huge shoutout to its cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna and R Madhavan.

Actor-politician Smriti Irani has pushed back against the criticism and outrage surrounding Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna’s Dhurandhar. She took to social media to defend the film, saying Dhurandhar is the echo of lives lived and lost for the nation.

Smriti praises Dhurandhar

Dhurandhar's team was moved by Smriti Irani’s message and expressed their gratitude in the comments section.

Smriti Irani took to Instagram to praise the makers of Dhurandhar, giving a huge shoutout to its cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna and R Madhavan.

She feels the film is a tribute to those who have laid down their lives in service to the nation, and also addressing the criticism around the film.

“If you have looked into the eyes of the wife of a fallen soldier & walked her to the cremation ground , if you have visited the Jagti camp in Jammu , if you have seen the deserted temple premises of Sharika Devi in Srinagar , if you have met those who were on duty during Parliament attack or have family that survived the 26/11 Mumbai attack then nothing in Dhurandhar should lead you to outrage — after all it’s just a film,” Smriti wrote.

“When a director’s passion meets the keen eye of a casting director like Mukesh @castingchhabra you can be rest assured the screen will explode. Dhurandhar isn’t just a film — it’s the echo of lives lived and lost; and if cinema can make you feel that weight, maybe you owe it more than outrage,” Smriti shared.

Smriti also praised R Madhavan for his performance, writing, “Those like me who have had the privilege of being in the vicinity of a legend called Ajit Doval may find it a tad bit weird to watch @actormaddy presumably play a cinematic version of him but then there could have been no better actor who could so calmly hold a storm within.”

“To the men and women known and unknown who have died defending us and are still in pursuit of justice for the everyday Indian— Dhanyawad ; our Nation holds you in high esteem and is forever in your debt,” she wrote while ending her note.

Dhurandhar team reacts

The film’s team was moved by Smriti’s message and expressed their gratitude in the comments section. “As clichéd as it ma sound .. it really means the world to me coming from you … I am so touched d and feel so empowered . Thank you so very much,” Madhavan wrote in the comment section.

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra also wrote, “Thank you so much. Coming from you, this truly means a lot. Thank you again for your kind words.Honestly, this happened because of a good director, a strong script, and a clear vision—when those things are right, everything falls into place.I’m truly happy that you all loved the film and that people are going crazy over it. I don’t really know what to say… I’m just deeply happy, from within, for each and every person who worked on the film. It really means a lot.”

About Dhurandhar

The spy thriller is set in Pakistan, with Ranveer portraying an Indian spy agent who slips into the terror networks operating out of Lyari. The film blends themes of espionage, crime, and intelligence manoeuvres. It also features Akshay Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, and R. Madhavan in key roles. Dhurandhar opened to a thunderous response at the box office and has already crossed ₹180 crore in India, according to Sacnilk.com. The film is directed by Aditya Dhar.