Let me give a disclaimer before I begin. This post isn’t about political ideologies, religious affiliations, hero-worshipping or the debate between fact and fiction. India churns out hundreds of movies a year but rarely does one create an impact that Dhurandhar did. It has garnered unprecedented adulation around the world and has shattered box office records like never before. Discussions pertaining to it have trickled down from news channels and social media to living room conversations and water cooler chats. It has become an international rage and is nowhere close to fading, yet.
I’m not reviewing Dhurandhar. You can find plenty of detailed ones online that analyse its technical aspects and how it trumps almost every Indian spy movie made till date. No James Bond vibes or bikini-clad women and no European getaways or stylised dancing spies here. Just raw uncomfortable truth that crushes you from within and continues to unsettle you long after the end credits have rolled. My journey from a reluctant audience to an obsessed follower and my inability to get it out of my system (I’m seeing Hamza in my dreams!) compel me to share my feelings about it here.
After loving Uri: The Surgical Strike I was rather surprised when Aditya Dhar chose Ranveer Singh for Dhurandhar. Don’t get me wrong, I like him. His off-screen buffoonery often overshadows his talent though and he hadn’t done anything meaningful of late. When trailer reviews for the movie started showing up frequently on my Youtube feed, my curiosity got the better of me.
As someone who cringes at the sight of blood, Arjun Rampal’s opening torture scene almost made me sick. Yet, I skipped that part and persisted to not miss my absolute favourite Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna and Sanjay Dutt; near-unrecognisable and totally transformed into their characters. It gave nothing about Ranveer Singh, which in retrospect was a genius promotional strategy.
A and I went to see Dhurandhar after a month and a half of its release, surprisingly to a full house. Although I was somewhat ready for the gore, the opening hijack scene shook me. So, when Ranveer Singh made his not-so-grand illegal entry into Pakistan, I felt sorry for him. Being thrown amongst the most brutal blood-thirsty hyenas in the world where he was assaulted on his first night was downright cruel. As the movie progressed, layer after layer unfolded, revealing a man who was called killing machine for good reason. Real incidents like the 26/11 attack and its aftermath had us all stunned even as people kept getting blown up throughout the movie.
Akshaye Khanna has a grim presence, a far cry from his lovey-dovey and loud roles in Taal and Hungama. The FA9LA song and his extempore dance was major aura-farming. Madhavan’s limited but impressive screen time made me miss him (thankfully, Dhurandhar: The Revenge made up for it). Sanjay Dutt is getting the best roles of his career now and he chewed this one with élan. Rakesh Bedi with his opportunistic, cunning behaviour was nothing like his usual light-hearted roles and aced it. I’m sure you’ve seen the many memes circulating on the internet.
Arjun Rampal, once the epitome of chocolate boy looks is the poster boy for ruthless violence and extremely wicked. Sara Arjun is sweet and got the best Hindi debut one could ask for. Finally, the man of the hour, Ranveer Singh, acts intensely through his eyes and looks ruggedly handsome in pathanis. Beards won’t go out of fashion anytime soon, sadly. Hamza (meaning lion in Arabic) flaunts the perfect mane and his gorgeous hair has a separate female fan-base now!
After obsessively listening to Dhurandhar songs on loop for weeks and subscribing to Netflix especially to rewatch it, it wouldn’t be surprising that I booked Dhurandhar: The Revenge tickets for the first day. The trailer, again, didn’t give anything away. Aditya Dhar had left few Easter eggs in the first part; Bade Saab and demonetization being the most notable ones. I was too invested in Jaskirat Singh Rangi’s journey to Hamza Ali Mazari and wanted a closure without any spoilers. My excitement as we settled down was echoed in most people around us. We were ready for it!
If Dhurandhar meant to shock and awe, Dhurandhar: The Revenge is in full-on destruction mode. I stole my eyes away from the screen many times yet had goosebumps all over. It destroys the casual way we treat Indian movies, our low expectations from the spy genre and most of all our prejudice for Ranveer Singh. This movie belongs to him and he throws it right out the park. Jaskirat Singh Rangi’s vulnerability and barbarity are equally devastating to watch and will choke you without realising it.
Gone is the genial Hamza that played second-fiddle to Rehman Dakait. He owns every frame and orchestrates the most devilish plans with relaxed ease. While on one hand he plays the formidable King of Lyari, he cries copiously at the losses he has to endure in service of his motherland. His dialogues stay with you. My favourite being, “Agar tum logon ke patakhe khatm ho gaye to main apna dhamake shuru karun?”
Madhavan appears at key moments and masterminds seemingly impossible plans. His smirk is more revealing than a thousand words and his anger is full of scary anticipation. While many people found Arjun Rampal’s role a let-down, I felt it was fitting. Who knew a Major could have Animal-type daddy issues? Sanjay Dutt earned his death and it was absolutely thrilling to watch. Rakesh Bedi was the trump card and got the loudest cheers from the multiplex crowd which says quite a lot. How often do we see that happening? I’ll avoid discussing more to avoid spoilers.
I fell in love with the superb photography with fire playing an explosive special role. Both movies have an amazing musical score. However, where the first part has foot-tapping numbers apart from Gehra Hua, the second one has brilliant heart-wrenching songs that tug at your heart. Remixed old songs invoke nostalgia and have been placed intelligently. Action choreography sets new benchmarks with the Dhurandhar title track and Aari Aari playing in the background. Whether its Ranveer Singh or the song or both, I’m partial to Ishq Jalakar and Jaiye Sajana. Shashwat Sachdev is a true music wizard.
Fact or fiction, Dhurandhar makes us see patriotism in a different light. Starting the second movie with a Geeta shlok amplifies the right to perform our duties without attachment with the outcome. Some may disagree with the politics of this franchise but one can’t deny that its faceless unknown men like Jaskirat Singh Rangi that keep us safe in our homes. He isn’t a fake superhero and bleeds for real yet never gives up. Gen Z can now understand the volatility and fear we saw as kids and finally know our history for what it is. What a moment to be alive to see Indians and foreigners alike rave about a single man taking down a hostile country in style, right?
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.
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