Dhurandhar zooms past the 100 crore mark in three days as the leftist liberal ecosystem rebukes the film for portraying Pakistan in a negative light

The new action-thriller Dhurandhar is creating havoc at the box office repeortedly breezing past the 100 crore mark in three days, as it is being lauded by the public for its incredible world building fantastically portraying real-world intelligence operations and geopolitical flashpoints linked to India’s covert war on terror. However there are those fron the leftist cabal who have come out in staunch opposition of the film.

The title Dhurandhar itself refers to a mission name and follows a hard-edged Indian spy infiltrating enemy territory—far removed from the flashy, cartoonish depictions of espionage often seen in Bollywood. Ironically, while these very same critics enthusiastically celebrate unrealistic helicopter stunts and Pakistan friendly flicks like Pathan, War 2, Tiger series etc, the moment Indian cinema attempts a grounded, nationalist narrative focused on the bravery of soldiers and intelligence personnel, the ecosystem springs into action with thousands of derisions.

The early success of Dhurandhar has triggered precisely this response.

Selective Outrage and the Manufacturing of ‘Criticism’

Prominent media platforms like India Today and The Print have handed Dhurandhar a paltry two-star rating—quite telling when viewed alongside their glowing reviews for Pathaan and their harsh dismissal of The Kerala Story. This pattern exposes less about cinema and more about ideology. Films that align with a certain worldview are celebrated, while those exposing uncomfortable truths about national security or Pakistan backed extremism are nitpicked and undermined.

These aren’t professional critiques; they are professional propagandists. Media houses that consistently look at India through a distorted, apologetic lens are now offended by a film that refuses to soften reality. The bias becomes even starker when one notices that a journalist at The Wire vocally backed Pathaan, while the same outlet attacks Dhurandhar. Aditya Dhar’s comment that “Hindus are often their own biggest enemies” resonates strongly in this context.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Shikara, which controversially whitewashed the Kashmiri Pandit exodus, was hailed as sensitive cinema. Today, his wife finds Dhurandhar “too violent.” Perhaps reality itself feels violent when one’s cinematic career has been built on sanitising Pakistan backed brutality.

A Spy Film That Chooses Truth Over Comfort

Set against the grim backdrop of some of India’s darkest terror attacks—the IC-814 Kandahar hijacking (1999), the Parliament attack (2001), and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008)—Dhurandhar revolves around a covert operation led by Intelligence Bureau chief Ajay Sanyal (played by R. Madhavan). The film exposes the brutal cost of intelligence work and the moral grey zones navigated by those tasked with protecting the nation.

In an industry where most spy films choose spectacle over substance, Dhurandhar joins a rare list that treats espionage with realism and gravity. It portrays spies not as glamorous heroes but as individuals living on the edge, sacrificing anonymity, morality, and often life itself for the country.

Aditya Dhar deserves credit for staying true to his vision. His depiction of Pakistan’s underworld, violent gang wars, and the ruthlessness of extremist networks is raw and unapologetic. Strong casting and layered characterisation ensure the film never slips into formula territory.

The narrative also subtly highlights the paralysis and strategic failures of the governments of that era, exposing a troubling pattern of silence and indecision in the face of repeated national security catastrophes. At the same time, Dhurandhar extends the ideological spine first seen in Uri—“Yeh naya India hai, ghar mein ghusega bhi aur maarega bhi.” Despite its length and unflinching violence, the film grips the viewer throughout.

Verdict

Ultimately, Dhurandhar makes no attempt to please everyone—and that is precisely its strength. By confronting the uncomfortable realities of the Congress era and contrasting them with the current government’s more assertive approach toward Pakistan, the film inevitably rattles the left-liberal ecosystem. Their attempt to discredit it through moral outrage and selective criticism only confirms what the film dares to show.

As the film zooms past the 100 crore mark and now looks to make new pathways in the genre, the public is galvanizing behind it with immense support and love for the project as the Pakistan loving cabal continues to seethe and deride the film. Now the rest is upto the audience if they will listen to these self appointed “Aman ki Asha” brigade or for them this is a new upfront India as Dhar envisions in his projects “jo ghar main ghusega bhi aur marega bhi”.