Ranveer Singh's action-packed spy thriller, Dhurandhar, has finally premiered on Netflix on January 30, 2026, after a record-breaking theatrical run. However, the OTT release has been met with a wave of disappointment from fans. Despite the anticipation for an uncut version, viewers quickly noticed that the film was censored, with muted dialogues and approximately 10 minutes of footage trimmed.
Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, features Ranveer Singh as Hamza Ali Mazari, an Indian spy infiltrating a Baloch gang in Pakistan's Lyari. Akshaye Khanna stars as Rehman Dakait, the gang leader, with Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, and Arjun Rampal in key roles. The film reportedly grossed over ₹1,000 crore domestically and ₹1,288.9 crore worldwide, becoming one of Ranveer Singh's highest-grossing films.
The theatrical version of Dhurandhar had a runtime of 3 hours and 34 minutes, but the version available on Netflix is only 3 hours and 25 minutes long. This has led to widespread criticism on social media, with fans expressing their frustration over the edits. Viewers are questioning the logic behind censoring an "A" rated film on a platform intended for adult audiences. Many feel that the censorship diminishes the "natural raw vibe" of the movie. Some viewers have also pointed out that other adult films on OTT platforms, such as Animal and Kabir Singh, were not subjected to similar cuts.
The censorship includes muting abusive language and trimming scenes. Fans who were eager to rewatch the film in its entirety, or those who missed the theatrical release, are particularly disappointed. The hashtag #Dhurandhar has been trending on social media, with users demanding the release of an uncensored version.
Adding to the film's controversies, Ranveer Singh recently faced legal trouble related to Dhurandhar. An FIR was filed against the actor for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by mimicking a Daiva ritual from Kantara at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa in November 2025. This controversy arose shortly before Dhurandhar's theatrical release and has resurfaced with the film's debut on Netflix.
Despite the controversies, Dhurandhar has been a commercial success. The film's domestic box office collection reached ₹835.83 crore in 56 days. Dhurandhar has also surpassed the lifetime ticket sales of films like RRR and Jawan on BookMyShow (BMS).
Looking ahead, the makers of Dhurandhar are preparing for the release of Dhurandhar 2, scheduled for March 19, 2026. The sequel is expected to be released in Hindi and all South Indian languages. It remains to be seen whether the filmmakers and Netflix will address the concerns raised by fans regarding the censored OTT release of Dhurandhar.
