In Hindi cinema, patriotism has always been a powerful narrative force. From the sweeping emotional spectacle of Border to the surgical precision of Uri: The Surgical Strike, the genre has steadily evolved. Today, on the cusp of the release of Dhurandhar The Revenge on March 19, the conversation has moved beyond traditional war films into something larger; a new cinematic grammar that blends geopolitical storytelling, large-scale spectacle, and the realism of contemporary conflict.
At Bollywood Hungama, the interest lies not just in the opening weekend numbers but in the craft and evolution of filmmaking that shapes these cultural moments. And if trade insiders are to be believed, filmmaker Aditya Dhar may well be at the centre of this shift.
Director Aditya Dhar has become a brand
One of the most striking aspects of Dhar’s rise is the recognition he has achieved as a filmmaker in a star-driven industry. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh points out that this level of visibility for a director is rare in modern Hindi cinema. “Aditya Dhar’s first Uri was a blockbuster. His second film Dhurandhar became the biggest Hindi film ever. And now we have Dhurandhar 2. I genuinely feel it’s going to rewrite all box office records,” he says.
More significantly, Adarsh believes Dhar has achieved something few contemporary directors manage: becoming a recognisable brand himself. “A lot of times, people only know the actors of a film. But there are very few directors who are known by their work. Earlier, when Sholay was released, everyone knew it was Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay. Similarly, Aditya Dhar has left that kind of impression.”
The shift from war films to geopolitical thrillers
Traditional patriotic cinema in Bollywood largely revolved around battlefield heroism. Films like Border were emotionally charged narratives rooted in military conflict. Dhar’s storytelling, however, operates on a different canvas. Adarsh explains that the filmmaker’s work resonates because of its topicality.
“Uri was a war film, yes. But the subject was very topical and very well handled,” he says. “Dhurandhar is not exactly a war film. It deals with terrorism, gang wars in Pakistan, and how those events impact India. That topicality is what makes audiences relate to it.”
Realism over glamour: The spy film reimagined
If the earlier wave of spy films in Hindi cinema thrived on glamour and stylisation, the Dhurandhar universe appears to lean toward grounded storytelling. Director of Ashirwad Theatres and Entertainment Entrepreneur Akkshay Rathi explains the difference. “The iconic spy films in recent times have been from the Yash Raj spy universe, which are extremely glamorised and stylised,” he says. “But Dhurandhar sets its story against modern history between India and Pakistan, that is the RAW and ISI conflict. It’s far more believable.”
Rathi believes the film’s narrative perspective also makes it distinctive. “Almost 90% of this film is set in Pakistan. The audience gets to see how things unfold from that side. That novelty in perspective brought something very different to the storytelling style.”
The franchise question
With Dhurandhar: The Revenge arriving this week, the film also raises an important question: do franchises define the future of large-scale Indian action films?
For Adarsh, the answer lies in narrative continuity. “A sequel has to be faithful to the first part. If the first film ends with a question, then the second part should answer it,” he says. “Like Baahubali. The first part ended with ‘Katappa ne Baahubali ko kyun maara?’ and the answer came in part two. Similarly, Dhurandhar ends with a question that will be answered now.”
Meanwhile, Rathi cautions against assuming that franchises alone guarantee success. “We’ve had Pathaan as part of a universe and then Jawan, which was a standalone film, becoming even bigger. So it’s not about sequels or franchises. It’s about how well the story is told.”
The perfectionist director
With just days to go before the release, Dhar is still working on the film’s final touches, a practice that sometimes raises eyebrows in the trade.
Adarsh, however, sees it as a sign of commitment. “A lot of directors do last-minute work before delivering the final output. He’s a perfectionist, and it’s his baby. If he’s working on it to give a world-class experience, it’s welcome.”
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Rathi agrees. “If Aditya Dhar believes the film needs finishing touches to be a worthy successor, we should give him the time,” he says. “If the film becomes even slightly more extraordinary, it only enhances the audience experience.”
Content still reigns supreme
Ultimately, for all the spectacle and scale, both experts insist that storytelling remains the true engine of success. “Only content at the core,” says Rathi. “There are many films made with huge VFX that have failed. But if the storytelling and engagement value are strong, the audience responds.”
He sums up the phenomenon with a striking observation: “The biggest hero of Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar 2 is Aditya Dhar.”
As Dhurandhar The Revenge prepares for release on March 19, it stands at an interesting crossroads in Hindi cinema. These films are no longer just patriotic spectacles. They are carefully engineered cinematic events; rooted in real-world tensions, driven by high-stakes storytelling, and shaped by filmmakers who understand both scale and nuance.
And if Dhar’s trajectory continues the way the trade predicts, the director may have done something even more remarkable: turning nationalist cinema into one of Bollywood’s most sophisticated blockbuster genres.
More Pages: Dhurandhar The Revenge Box Office Collection
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