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    EYE ON BOLLYWOOD                                                       MARCH 27, 2026      |  The Indian Eye 37

                            DHURANDHAR ROARS:

                 A Cinematic Benchmark Rewriting

                                        Bollywood’s Playbook

                From packed theatres to industry-wide applause, Dhurandhar: The Revenge is being

                                              hailed as a game-changer for Hindi cinema.

            OUR BUREAU
            Mumbai
                    hen Dhurandhar: The Revenge finally hit
                    theatres on March 19 after months of fe-
            Wverish anticipation, it wasn’t just another
            big-ticket Bollywood release—it was a moment that
            seems to have redefined audience expectations and
            industry standards alike. Directed by Aditya Dhar and
            headlined by Ranveer Singh, the sequel to last year’s
            blockbuster has emerged as both a commercial jugger-
            naut and a cultural talking point, drawing praise from
            fans, critics, and film personalities across the board.
                The early numbers tell part of the story. With-
            in its first day, the film reportedly crossed Rs 100
            crore worldwide, underlining the massive draw of
            the franchise. But beyond the box office, it is the
            near-unanimous acclaim that has truly set the film   (File photo)
            apart. From Bhopal to Lucknow to New Delhi, au-
            diences walking out of theatres have spoken in glow-  Playing a layered anti-hero, Ranveer Singh brings depth and vulnerability to a genre often dominated by larger-than-life portrayals
            ing  terms  about  the  film’s  immersive  storytelling,
            layered performances, and technical finesse.  long and occasionally tested their patience, these   nist who “bleeds and feels pain.”
                Agrima, a viewer from Bhopal, summed up a   voices remain in the minority amid an otherwise   At the heart of this transformation is Ranveer
            sentiment  echoed  across  cities.  “Action  and  fight-  overwhelmingly positive response.  Singh’s  performance,  widely  regarded  as  one  of
            ing scenes are really good. Ranveer Singh’s acting   What has elevated Dhurandhar: The Revenge   the  finest  of  his  career.  Playing  a  layered  anti-he-
            is fantastic… The suspense buildup is really good…  beyond  just  a  successful  sequel  is  the  chorus  of   ro, Singh brings depth and vulnerability to a genre
            Detailing in the film is really good,” she said. For   praise  from  within  the  film  industry  itself.  Actor   often dominated by larger-than-life portrayals. His
            many,  the  film’s  ability  to  balance  spectacle  with   Preity Zinta described the film as a “mindblowing”   ability to anchor a nearly four-hour film without los-
            substance has been its biggest strength.      experience, applauding every department from di-  ing audience engagement has been repeatedly high-
                In Lucknow, viewers highlighted the film’s han-  rection and acting to music and editing. “Ranveer   lighted as a key factor in its success.
            dling of terrorism as both engaging and meaningful.  Singh, you have my heart. What a stunning perfor-  The  supporting  cast—including  R.  Madha-
            One moviegoer described it as “very good on the   mance.  What  range,  what  depth,  what  sincerity,”   van, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, and
            subject of terrorism,” adding that the sequel works   she wrote, capturing the emotional impact of the   Rakesh  Bedi—has  also  drawn  praise  for  adding
            in a “positive way” and even surpasses the original.  lead actor’s portrayal.              texture and balance to the narrative. Industry voices
            That comparison is significant, given that the first   Superstar  Mahesh  Babu  went  even  further,   have noted that the film’s strength lies not just in its
            instalment had already set a high bar as one of the   calling  the  film  a  “standing  ovation-worthy  expe-  lead but in the cohesion of its ensemble and techni-
            biggest hits of its time.                     rience.” He praised Dhar’s vision as “remarkable”   cal departments.
                The nearly four-hour runtime—clocking in at   and  singled  out  not  just  Singh’s  performance  but   In many ways, the success of Dhurandhar: The
            three hours and 55 minutes—has been one of the   also the contributions of R. Madhavan and compos-  Revenge marks a turning point for Hindi cinema. It
            film’s most debated aspects. Yet, for a large section   er Shashwat Sachdev. His endorsement reflects a   demonstrates that audiences are willing to embrace
            of viewers, the pacing appears to have neutralised   rare cross-industry admiration that underscores the   longer runtimes, complex narratives, and restrained
            concerns about length. A fan in New Delhi, dressed   film’s wide appeal.                   action—provided the storytelling remains compelling.
            in a Dhurandhar-themed T-shirt, called the experi-  Meanwhile, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma of-  It also highlights a growing appetite for authenticity
            ence “amazing” and insisted the duration never felt   fered perhaps the most provocative take, dubbing   over formula, suggesting that the future of Bollywood
            excessive. “Not even for a second did it feel like a   the sequel a “cinematic disruptor.” Known for his   may lie in breaking away from its own conventions.
            4-hour movie,” he said, adding that he planned to   candid  opinions,  Varma  argued  that  the  film  sig-  As theatres continue to fill and conversations
            watch it again the very next day.             nals a decisive shift away from formula-driven Bol-  around the film intensify, one thing is clear: Dhu-
                Such repeat-viewing intent is often  the  hall-  lywood spectacles. According to him, the film dis-  randhar is no longer just a franchise—it is a bench-
            mark of a film that resonates deeply with audiences.  mantles the long-standing trope of invincible heroes,   mark. And in setting that benchmark, it may well
            While a few viewers admitted that the runtime felt   replacing it with a psychologically complex protago-  have changed the rules of the game for Hindi films.

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