Anurag Kashyap, known for his outspoken views on cinema and society, recently shared his thoughts on Aditya Dhar's action-packed spy thriller, Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh. While the film has garnered significant commercial success, crossing ₹1,000 crore worldwide within three weeks of its release, and has been praised for its direction, performances, and technical aspects, it has also stirred considerable debate regarding its political undertones and portrayal of sensitive issues.

Kashyap, in his review posted on Letterboxd, lauded Dhurandhar as a "brilliant film" with "top-notch" filmmaking. He commended Aditya Dhar's direction and Ranveer Singh's performance, calling it one of his favorites. However, Kashyap also pointed out specific dialogues that he found problematic, particularly those referencing "New India". He expressed reservations about what he perceived as propaganda-driven messaging within these dialogues.

Specifically, Kashyap mentioned two lines from the film that he felt were unnecessary and overtly political. One was a dialogue by Madhavan's character, and the other was a line delivered by Ranveer Singh's character at the end of the film, which stated, "Yeh naya India hai". Kashyap suggested that these dialogues, in his opinion, didn't diminish the film's overall impact and could have been omitted.

Despite these reservations, Kashyap refrained from labeling Dhurandhar as outright propaganda. Instead, he drew a comparison to Hollywood films like The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, and House of Dynamite, which he described as "Oscar-winning propaganda films about the USA". He emphasized that labeling films as propaganda is, in itself, a form of propaganda.

Kashyap also highlighted his long-standing association with Aditya Dhar, acknowledging Dhar's background as a Kashmiri Pandit and the impact of his experiences on his filmmaking. He stated that Dhar's politics are "genuine" and that he is "honest," even if one might disagree with his viewpoints. Kashyap said that he has known Aditya Dhar since his national award film Boond.

Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Rampal, is a spy thriller set in Pakistan. The film depicts an Indian intelligence agent infiltrating Karachi's criminal syndicates and political structures to dismantle a terror network. While the film has been a commercial success, it has also faced criticism for its hypernationalistic stance and negative portrayal of Pakistan. It has been banned in Pakistan and several Middle Eastern countries due to its politically sensitive content. Some critics have also faced online harassment for their reviews of the film.

Kashyap's comments add to the ongoing discussion surrounding Dhurandhar and its place within the landscape of contemporary Indian cinema. While acknowledging the film's artistic and technical merits, he also encourages viewers to critically engage with its political messaging and consider the filmmaker's perspective.

Dhurandhar Part 2 is scheduled for release on March 19, 2026.