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Introduction
12 December, 2025
धुरंधा: Making spy films in Bollywood is not a new thing. Every year or two, a film comes which is full of patriotism, big locations, high-octane action and sharp agents. But ‘Dhurandhar’ amidst all this seems as if a character has come from another world. This film of Ranveer Singh not only changes the face of the spy genre, but also takes the audience to an environment where instead of glamour, there is restlessness, instead of superhero-like strength, there is weakness and instead of fast-paced action, there is shocking silence. When the title track of ‘Dhurandhar’ starts – ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, You are not ready for this’, then it seems that maybe there will be big explosions ahead. However, the real shock comes when the film proves that line to be true with a whole new meaning. Because the audience was not really ready to watch such a great spy film. Not for the violence shown in the film, not for the heavy story and not for this kind of spy world which is not just a showy thriller but constantly feels like an adventure and thrill. It can be said that ‘Dhurandhar’ has a slow but deep impact. This film is not in any kind of hurry and this is its biggest beauty.
strong story
Anyway, when it comes to Bollywood spy films, usually fast-paced action, globe-trotting missions, stylish heroes, item songs and patriotic emotional lines come to mind. But director Aditya Dhar’s new film ‘Dhurandhar’ moves in the opposite direction from this formula. In the beginning of the film, it seems that ‘Dhurandhar’ will probably also be a high-octane spy drama, but as the story unfolds, it is realized that this film does not just show the spy, but goes inside the spy and exposes his mental, emotional and physical struggles. This film does not give time to the audience to prepare. It throws them straight into a world that is dangerous, dirty, covered in the dust of politics and burning in the struggle to survive.
story without spice
On paper, ‘Dhurandhar’ starts off like a classic spy thriller. Continuous attacks in India, whose roots reach to Karachi, Pakistan. Then an undercover agent is sent to the enemy country. However, Aditya Dhar did not show any kind of glamor in it. No big stylish gadgets, no fancy cars, no superstar like entry. Hamza, i.e. Ranveer Singh’s character, does not emerge as a hero in the world of Liari. He’s a man thrown into the world, just trying to survive. And this is what separates ‘Dhurandhar’ from other spy films.
Also read: Who is V Shantaram, whose biopic is being discussed, you also know about the magician of Indian cinema.
real game of the movie
‘Dhurandhar’ does not depend only on mission. This film is more based on the politics of that locality, that system, those streets and the people who live there. Even if this one line that Hamza is an Indian spy is removed from the film, ‘Dhurandhar’ seems to be an equally strong story. Then this story becomes a world in which a common man gradually gains strength by taking steps. He makes his place inch by inch, impresses people, scares them, wins their trust and becomes a part of the land which was earlier its enemy. That means then this would have become the story of Underworld Rise. The 3 hours 43 minutes long ‘Dhurandhar’ does not jump from one country to another like today’s Bollywood films. It holds life like a place. There is neither glitz, nor overdose of glamor in ‘Dhurandhar’, nor the stylish action which is generally considered the trademark of this genre.
red screen
At one point, the story of ‘Dhurandhar’ seems to break inside the red screen. Then the colors disappear, the voices waver and the storm of emotions reaches straight to the hearts of the people. This was such a step by Aditya Dhar, which shook the audience. He told that ‘Dhurandhar’ has not brought stylized violence, but truth. Apart from this, the most brilliant aspect of ‘Dhurandhar’ is its production design. Like Lyari does not just seem like a location, but it becomes a character of the film. Suffocation, heat, dust, sweat, streets, dilapidated buildings, everything is so real in the film that it seems that we ourselves are locked in that world. That means the film doesn’t look like it is set anywhere. Every street, every room, every corner looks as if people have lived there for years.
Less noise, more impact
Ranveer Singh has done such a job in ‘Dhurandhar’ which is one of the quietest, but heaviest performances of his career. Hamza doesn’t speak much, but he conveys every emotion through his face, eyes and breathing. Anyway, an undercover agent cannot appear glamorous because he has to survive and Ranveer Singh completely captures this reality and says, I am injured, hence I am lethal. On the other hand, the violence of the film is as raw, as wild and as piercing as it is in the gang areas of the real world. That means no slow motion, no beat drop, no style – just reality. This film tells that the work of a spy is not safe. No award is given for this, no promise is made. That means if the agent is caught, the country refuses to even recognize him. At the same time, Akshay Khanna brings balance to the film, his work brings together suspect, leader, guide and alarm bell. In Dhurandhar, Ranveer Singh and Akshay Khanna have given such roles which will be remembered for a long time. From Akshay’s entry till his death, he has been like a king on screen. Apart from this, Arjun Rampal’s killer style and Sanjay Dutt’s deadly charm add life to this film. Apart from all this, R Madhavan once again left no stone unturned in winning the hearts of people with his natural acting. Rakesh Bedi has also played the role of a corrupt politician very well. Apart from all this, there is another character, without whom this story could not have been completed and that is Uzair Baloch. This character has been played by actor Danish Pandor. He has also done his work very well.
collection
Talking about the huge box office collection of ‘Dhurandhar’, this film had a bumper opening of Rs 28.60 crore. Ranveer Singh’s film, which was released in theaters on December 5, did a business of Rs 33.10 crore on the second day i.e. Saturday and Rs 44.80 crore on Sunday. That means, in the first weekend itself the film had reached close to the Rs 100 crore club. However, ‘Dhurandhar’ did not fall even on week days and on Monday the film earned Rs 24.30 crore across the country. It collected Rs 28.60 crore on Tuesday and Rs 29.20 crore on Wednesday. On Thursday, ‘Dhurandhar’ did a business of Rs 29.10 crore and made the makers happy. Now the second weekend of the film is starting in theatres. In such a situation, it is expected that the earning speed of ‘Dhurandhar’ will increase further. By the way, the total collection till Thursday has been Rs 218 crore. From this it can be estimated how much love the public is showering on this spy-action film.
The untold story of Liari
Lyari, an area of Karachi city of Pakistan, on hearing the name of which two things come to the mind of most people – old era gang war and fear. But this place is not just a story of violence, but a neighborhood that has sheltered people for centuries, cherished cultures and ultimately showed the courage to reinvent itself. Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller Dhurandhar again focused people’s attention on this area. The film made Lyari of the 2000s its canvas and brought its streets, lanes, politics and gang war on screen. This is the same place which is called ‘Mother of Karachi’. Because it had settled here even before the city was built. So how did a small dockworker locality gradually become the hub of so many gangs? And how today the same Liari is slowly changing her image?
How and who settled it?
Although not much detail is shown in the film, the history of Lyari begins in the 1700s. A small village of fishermen, on the shores of the Arabian Sea. Boats, nets and business, this was the life of this place. Then came the British who modernized the port of Karachi around 1850 and business started growing. The need for labourers, fishermen and dockworkers increased and people from far and wide started coming and settling here. Gradually this area became so congested that the roads started becoming smaller, the houses started shrinking and there was no facility left. Even after this Liari accepted everyone. This is the reason why this place was called “Mother of Karachi”. But after 1947, Karachi became the first capital of Pakistan. Muhajirs came here in large numbers. Liari was an old and strong area, but resources were less. On the other hand, the government was also in no mood to pay attention to this area. The result was that both population and poverty increased.
era of gangs
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