Dhurandhar
Dhurandhar (2025) is a Hindi-language spy action thriller directed by Aditya Dhar, which plunges into the gritty world of undercover espionage against the backdrop of India-Pakistan geopolitical tensions. Starring Ranveer Singh as a RAW agent infiltrating Karachi's criminal underworld, the film loosely draws inspiration from real-life events, including major terror attacks and covert operations. The narrative is structured in chapters, offering an intense and patriotic cinematic experience with a significant runtime of over three hours. The movie has garnered substantial box office success and is the first installment of a two-part series. Targeted at an adult audience, Dhurandhar has received an 'A' (Adults Only) certificate from the Indian Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) due to its mature themes and graphic content. It features high-octane action, intense violence, strong language, and disturbing elements, including depictions of torture and attempted sexual assault. The film has sparked discussions regarding its portrayal of certain communities and the use of real-world sensitive events to evoke strong emotional responses from viewers. Overall, Dhurandhar is an ambitious, visually striking, and emotionally charged film designed to be a high-impact thriller. Its content is explicitly adult, making it unsuitable for children and younger teenagers. Parental guidance is strongly advised due to the severe nature of several content elements, including graphic violence, sexual threats, and profanity.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe film depicts an attempted sexual assault on the male protagonist, Hamza (Ranveer Singh), by rival male gang members in the Lyari underworld. This act is shown as a demonstration of dominance and power rather than sexual desire. Discussions around the film also reference a 'violent gay villain' and draw parallels to 'bacha-baazi,' a practice of child sexual exploitation in some conservative regions, highlighting a disturbing connection between same-sex acts and violence/exploitation.
In Chapter 1, Ranveer Singh's character, Hamza, is pinned to the ground by members of the Babu Dakait gang in an explicit attempt to rape him, portrayed as a ritualistic act of establishing hierarchy and dominance. Furthermore, commentary on the film mentions the portrayal of a 'violent gay villain' and links the discussion to 'bacha-baazi,' where older men may sexually exploit younger males, framed as a loophole to religious proscriptions against adult gay relationships, suggesting themes of sexual violence and exploitation rather than consensual LGBTQ representation.
Violence
HighDhurandhar contains exceptionally high levels of graphic and sadistic violence, which was a primary factor in its 'A' certification. Scenes include prolonged torture, brutal killings, and intense combat sequences with clear depictions of gore and severe injuries. The film has been described as containing elements of 'splatter horror' and 'torture porn' due to its explicit nature.
A particularly graphic scene features Arjun Rampal's character, Major Iqbal, torturing an Indian spy with hooks embedded in his skin for an extended period, which an actor involved described as 'insane' and wondered how it was permitted. Other violent acts include a man slashing another's neck with a sawing motion, bludgeonings, shootings, explosions, decapitations, gang beatings resulting in bloody detail, and men being doused in petrol while hanging from ceiling fans.
Profanity
HighThe film features strong and frequent use of profanity, including explicit Hindi and English curse words. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) mandated cuts and muting of some foul language for the theatrical release, leading to audience dissatisfaction when these censored versions were also presented on streaming platforms despite the film's 'A' rating.
Strong language, including terms like 'motherf**ker,' 'maderchod,' and 'behenchod,' is present throughout the film, alongside milder expletives such as 'bastard,' 'shit,' and 'hell'. Following its theatrical run, the Netflix release of Dhurandhar received significant backlash from viewers due to muted dialogues and censored abuses, despite being an 'A' rated film, with fans questioning the purpose of censorship on an adult platform.
Scary & Intense Content
HighDhurandhar contains a high degree of scary and intense content, including realistic and disturbing depictions of terrorism, graphic violence, and psychological torment. The film intentionally uses real audio recordings and archival footage from terrorist attacks, aiming to provoke strong emotional responses and create a sense of fear and anger.
The film features unsettling scenes where real audio recordings and archival footage from actual terrorist attacks, such as the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, are played, intended to intensify emotional impact and distress the audience. Visually intense scenes include men doused in petrol and hanging from ceiling fans, and a corpse impaled on spikes, contributing to a consistently grim and frightening atmosphere.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumBeyond the attempted sexual assault on the protagonist, the film includes verbal references to adulterous behavior. While a romantic subplot exists between the main character Hamza and Yalina Jamali, specific details on explicit consensual sexual acts are not highlighted in reviews. However, the presence of sexual threats and discussions of adultery contribute to a mature theme.
The BBFC content warnings explicitly state the presence of 'verbal references to adulterous behaviour'. Additionally, a scene features a 'sexual assault and sexual threat in which a man is groped' as part of the initiation of Ranveer Singh's character, Hamza, into the Karachi underworld.
Substance Use
MediumThe film includes depictions of recreational drug use and references to illicit drug dealing. These elements are consistent with the movie's setting in a criminal underworld and spy thriller genre, showcasing the activities prevalent in such environments.
Characters are explicitly shown smoking cannabis in various scenes within the film. Additionally, the narrative makes references to drug dealing activities, which are part of the criminal operations within the Karachi underworld that the protagonist infiltrates.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe film's core plot involves an undercover agent operating outside conventional legal boundaries within a criminal network, inherently showcasing themes of disrespect for established laws and authority. The world depicted is one of pervasive gang wars, political corruption, and defiance of societal norms by various characters, including those in positions of power and the criminal elements.
The protagonist, Hamza, infiltrates Karachi's 'ruthless underworld mafia,' engaging in 'violent gang wars' and covert operations that require him to operate outside the law and interact with figures who openly defy authority. The narrative also highlights a societal landscape where 'power-hungry, up-to-no-good politicians, Army officials, businessmen and gangsters' intermix, indicating a widespread disregard for ethical conduct and a rebellious attitude towards legitimate governance.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThere are no direct or explicit anti-Christian themes identified in the available reviews or plot summaries of Dhurandhar. However, the film has faced criticism for potential religious insensitivity and communal rhetoric in its portrayal of Pakistani and Muslim characters, with some critics suggesting it stereotypes Muslims as terrorists and equates their religious expressions with cruelty, raising broader concerns about the treatment of religious groups.
While not directly anti-Christian, some reviewers noted a potential 'Islamophobia' in the film, alleging it portrays 'Muslims of the subcontinent' as 'barbarians' and shows Pakistani characters 'rejoicing in India's horror, chanting 'Allah hu Akbar' as if 'cruelty were devotion''. Critics have also stated the film 'villainizes the Muslim' and serves a 'hyper-nationalist rhetoric' that propagates hatred, which, though not anti-Christian, indicates a problematic approach to religious portrayal that Christian parents might find concerning.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThere is no indication of witchcraft, sorcery, occult practices, demons, spells, or supernatural elements within the reported plot summaries or reviews of 'Dhurandhar (2025).' The film is consistently described as a realistic spy action thriller grounded in geopolitical events and criminal underworld dynamics.
No specific examples of witchcraft, occult rituals, or supernatural occurrences were found in any official descriptions or critical analyses of the film. Its genre is firmly established as an action and patriotic thriller, without fantasy or magical components.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Ages 18 and above. The film received an 'A' certificate from the CBFC in India, indicating it is restricted to adults. This rating is justified by the pervasive strong violence, including graphic torture and combat, explicit profanity, and disturbing themes such as attempted sexual assault and realistic portrayals of terrorism. The content is consistently intense and mature, making it inappropriate for viewers under 18 years old.
Additional Notes
The film faced a legal notice from the family of Major Mohit Sharma, whose life was rumored to inspire Ranveer Singh's character, though the claim was denied. The film was de facto banned in several Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The theatrical version underwent censorship of some violent visuals and profanities. Furthermore, the Netflix release caused significant fan outrage due to additional muting of dialogues, censoring of abuses, and an approximate 9-10 minute reduction in runtime, leading to a perception of an inferior, overly censored product for an adult-rated film. These changes were partly attributed to muting 'Baloch' and 'intelligence' due to community objections. A sequel, 'Dhurandhar 2 - Revenge,' is scheduled for release on March 19, 2026, suggesting an ongoing franchise.
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