Aditya Dhar after six years is finally back! His new mega spy thriller, Dhurandhar, looks intense. A covert Indian agent is a fierce Ranveer Singh in the film, and other stars include R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, and Akshaye Khanna. The movie, which is based on real-life counter-terrorism operations, inherently invites its viewers to experience a gory, complex watch.
However, before the movie comes out on December 5th, Dhar has, by mistake, set fire to two massive Bollywood firestorms!
Controversy 1: Is The Violence Too Gory?
The first major talk revolves around the shocking content of the film. The Dhurandhar trailer is a very raw and visually sensitive to the eye kind of film which does not compromise in any aspect; it shows very graphic violence and torture. Characters being severely beaten is the main visuals of the trailer, and in one scene, a character’s being skinned alive is implied; because of these, the film has attracted many critics. A large number of people are petitioning the Censor Board (CBFC) for it to take a stricter stance against what they call "extreme, unnecessary violence" present in the movie.
Yet, Dhar’s defenders are backing up his brave approach and giving him their full support. They claim that the film’s savagery is indispensable for delivering the brutal, bleak reality of border espionage. The Bollywood argument of the hour is this: is this realistic storytelling, or is it just a case of violence being glorified for the fun of it? Dhar seems to be firmly resolved in his choice.
Controversy 2: The 18-Hour Work Shift Jibe
This is the melodrama that has the most noise in the industry. Its loudest part is that it involves Ranveer Singh’s family.
At the trailer launch, Aditya Dhar praised his team for working "16 hours, 18 hours continuously for one and a half years... And nobody has even once complained."
The internet instantly interpreted this single statement as a direct jibe at Deepika Padukone. The actress, who is Ranveer Singh's wife, has been a vocal advocate of a healthier and more structured 8-hour working day in the film industry and has cited exhaustion due to overworking as her reason.
Dhar's open praise of the 18-hour shift along with Deepika's husband being right next to him was like a complete denial of her views. It reignited the fiercely debated issue within the Bollywood industry: Is this kind of brutal dedication inevitable for blockbusters to get made, or is "passion" merely an excuse for the exploitation of long working hours?
Despite all this fire, Dhurandhar is a dramatic return for Dhar and an action-packed comeback for Ranveer of massive proportions. Be sure to come back here on December 5th!
