Ranveer Is Intense, But Akshaye Khanna Steals the Show.
I don’t remember the last time a movie exhausted me, thrilled me and made me sit silently through the end credits at the same time. Dhurandhar is that film. I didn’t “watch” it — I went through it.
From the very first frame, it doesn’t ease you in. There is no warm-up, no spoon-feeding, no sweet build-up. It throws you straight into a world that is violent, political, ruthless and deeply emotional. And that emotional layer is what surprised me the most. Beneath all the guns, explosions and intelligence operations, this film is actually about pain — the pain of losing, of loving, of having no choice.
Ranveer Singh’s performance genuinely shook me. I’ve seen him in loud roles and quirky roles, but here he is dangerous. There’s anger and trauma, but there’s also a vulnerability that slips out unexpectedly in moments when you least expect it.
But the person who completely caught me off guard was Akshaye Khanna. His character is written like a blade — sharp, quiet, unpredictable, and terrifying even when he’s not doing anything. Every time he enters a scene, the tension rises. He doesn’t raise his voice, he doesn’t scream, he doesn’t perform theatrics… yet he dominates every frame he’s in. There’s a stare he gives during the briefing sequence — and I immediately thought, “Yep, THIS is what a brilliant antagonist looks like.” If there’s one character I’m still thinking about the next day, it’s him.
The action is insane (and brutal at times), yes — but what really does half the heavy lifting is the music and background score. The theme song hits so hard that even when the film goes quiet later, you can feel it playing in your head. And the placement of songs isn’t random — they don’t feel like interruptions. They make the emotional moments heavier. Even the slower song in the middle — I didn’t expect to like it, but somehow it matched the exhaustion and sadness the character was going through. The Arabic song FA9LA where Akshaye Khanna dances is a viral hit already! I personally loved the title song, Karvaan (Ranveer’s entry), Naal Nachna, Ramba Ho, Lutt Le Gaya and Monica.
I do have to say this though — the film is long. 3 and half hours long. But at no point in time I was feeling the stretch. I was engrossed in the developing story. Even until the end I was not exhausted. Frankly, I was slightly sad that the movie ended and I have to wait for 4 months to see the sequel.
But then came the ending — and the surprise before the credits rolled. Just when I’d mentally closed the chapter, the film cracked the door open again. That one reveal — the hint that there is SO MUCH MORE coming in the sequel and there IS a sequel — instantly changed everything. When the Part 2 release date was announced, the theatre clapped. And I actually smiled, because it suddenly made the heaviness worth it. I didn’t just finish watching a film… I’d been set up for a war.
So yes, the movie is not perfect. It’s heavy, loud, long and emotionally indulging.
But it’s also brave, gripping, beautifully acted, visually stunning, musically powerful and absolutely unforgettable.
Not all films are meant to make you comfortable.
Some films are meant to shake you — and Dhurandhar shook me.
⭐ My personal rating: 5 / 5
And I’m 100% showing up for the sequel.