Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar has firmly cemented its status as one of Bollywood’s biggest blockbusters, ensuring that Hindi cinema closes 2025 on a resounding high.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film has generated immense buzz since its release, drawing praise from across the industry. The latest celebrity to join the chorus of appreciation is Shraddha Kapoor, whose cheeky Instagram Stories have grabbed widespread attention.
Shraddha took to Instagram to share her enthusiasm, writing, “Truly terrible of Aditya Dhar to make a film like Dhurandhar.”
She followed it up with another story that read, “and then make us wait three months for Part 2. Don’t play with our emotions, prepone the release, please. What a phenomenal experience. Subah shoot nahi hoti toh kasam se abhi hi dobara dekhne jaati (had I not had a shoot in the morning, I would have gone again to watch the film). Chhaava, Saiyaara, Dhurandhar — all in 2025 Hindi cinema.”
In a further note, the actor highlighted the film’s journey amid online noise and criticism, adding, “From Yami Gautam having to call out the rampant negative PR machinery to manufactured controversies, Dhurandhar endured it all and came out shining. No bad force can pull a good film down. In audiences, we trust.”
The posts quickly went viral and even resurfaced on Reddit, amplifying the conversation around the film.
Dhurandhar features Ranveer Singh as Hamza, an Indian spy who infiltrates the crime-ridden lanes of Pakistan’s Lyari to dismantle terror networks backed by the ISI.
The film has been widely lauded for its gritty narrative and powerful performances, particularly by Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, and Rakesh Bedi. The ensemble cast also includes Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, and Arjun Rampal in pivotal roles.
The film’s box office performance has been equally remarkable. Dhurandhar has now amassed approximately Rs 380 crore net in India, surpassing Dangal’s Hindi domestic total of Rs 374.43 crore and marking a significant milestone in box office history.
By the end of Day 11, the film had secured its place as the eighth-highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time in the domestic market. It now sits just behind major blockbusters such as Dangal and Animal, while comfortably overtaking the lifetime collections of Sanju (Rs342 crore), PK (Rs341 crore), and Saiyaara (Rs330 crore).
Dhurandhar has emerged as a refreshing and unapologetically bold entrant in Bollywood’s espionage genre, rejecting the glossy, larger-than-life formula that defined many of its predecessors.
Where earlier blockbusters leaned heavily on spectacle and glamour, Dhurandhar dives into the murky realism of intelligence work, crafting a narrative that feels grounded, tense, and psychologically layered.
The film does not rely on exaggerated heroism or romantic escapades to drive the story forward. Instead, it presents espionage as a world built on secrecy, sacrifice, and moral ambiguity, setting itself apart from the mainstream thrillers that dominated the decade.
Perhaps Dhurandhar’s most significant achievement lies in its refusal to underestimate its audience. Earlier spy blockbusters often overwhelmed viewers with style but underdelivered on substance. Dhurandhar instead trusts the audience’s ability to appreciate complexity, tension, and emotional nuance without needing constant bursts of glamour.
It’s storytelling respects the logic of espionage, the weight of geopolitical conflicts, and the psychological demands placed upon operatives. By grounding its story in these realities, it offers a more mature and resonant depiction of intelligence work.
