In the past few years, Aditya Dhar has become known for his ability to create films that combine both nationalistic themes with a stylish approach – as demonstrated with previous films Uri as well as Article 370. With his newest project Dhurandhar, Dhar has expanded upon his approach creating an extensive multi-layered political suspense movie that closely resembles a character study of the 'enemy.'

STORYLINE

The story follows an idealised version of the real-life National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, through his fictional counterpart played by actor R Madhavan. The film follows Ajith's attempts to access Karachi's Lyari area where he hopes to find assistance from local gangsters while attempting to uncover and stop ISI-backed terrorists. To obtain this information, Ajith sends his best undercover spy, Hamza (also played by Ranveer Singh), into the region. As Hamza becomes closer to the local mafia figure known as Rehman Dakait (played by Akshaye Khanna), he forms a relationship with Rehman and Jameel Jamali (played by Rakesh Bedi) who is trying to manipulate their alliance. As the different groups clash, Hamza creates a network of double agents within this region, thus destabilising the terrorist networks from the inside out.

POSITIVE POINTS

With so much density and detail in the film's world-building, the way Lyari has been rendered feels like it's a character in and of itself. It feels as if Lyari is "alive." The soundscape created by Shashwat Sachdev reinforces the feeling of dread that is exemplified through his role as Rehman Dakait and brings overall momentum to the entire film. Akshaye Khanna gives a masterful portrayal of Rehman Dakait that encapsulates all that is expected of outstanding performers (with the inclusion of being able to invoke terror solely through one's gaze) with his ability to accomplish such a feat. Rakesh Bedi has taken the time to create an intricate and diverse personality. He has been able to integrate humor into one moment and evilness into the very next instantly switching back and forth between the two sides of Dr. Nash. Aditya Dhar has successfully brought a sense of urgency and tension into the film through his documentary-like segments, as well as the horrifying portrayal of violent acts of crime, stripping away all glamour associated with the action genre in this film. Baloch politics, along with the way in which the film is broken up into chapters keeps the audience interested and engaged throughout the lengthy runtime of the film.

NEGATIVE POINTS

Even though Ranveer Singh is committed to the film, his brooding intensity does become somewhat repetitive after a while. The fact that Akshaye Khanna is in this movie makes the many instances where there are significant emotional disconnects. The political themes of this film and real-life events that influenced the script will likely turn off some viewers as well due to their heavy-handedness in nature. The film’s pacing is hurt because at over two hours long (212 minutes total) there is simply too much going on, so the filmmakers overstated the violence and profanity inherent within the narrative, which will likely overwhelm viewers with the sheer amount of material in one sitting (making it difficult for them to appreciate the artistic merit of this movie).

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Overall: Dhurandhar is a clearly defined and intense drama with intense dramatic elements as well as creative artistry provided by the filmmakers. Although the film offers a number of different viewpoints and methods of interpreting this storyline through various characters and events, there are several inconsistencies and moments of overzealousness that hinder a complete experience of the film; however, the film keeps viewers fully engaged through the atmosphere provided to enhance viewer interest and excitement over the entire experience.