When ‘Dhurandhar’ came out in December 2025, it did not come with the hype and pre-release hysteria. In fact, reactions to its trailer were cautious, even skeptical. However, eight weeks later, the Ranveer Singh-led spy thriller had rewritten the history of the box office, silently earning $110 million as an all-Hindi film. Now, it’s a global hit, topping the Netflix chart.
The fact that an underdog turned into a juggernaut speaks volumes about what audiences are really seeking at the moment. Instead of seeking immediate satisfaction, ‘Dhurandhar’ believed in its narrative, and it paid off.
The Real Reason ‘Dhurandhar’ Took Over The Box Office
The difference between ‘Dhurandhar’ and the typical action spectacles is that it is based on the modern history of security in India. The movie intertwines fictional characters with the real events like the IC-814 Kandahar hijacking, the Parliament attack, counterfeit currency rackets, and the trauma of 26/11. These allusions are not employed as shock value or set pieces, but as emotional anchors.
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Director Aditya Dhar exercises restraint at the right time. The recreated and archival audio used in critical moments gives seriousness without taking advantage of tragedy. You are not manipulated as a viewer; you are drawn in, uncomfortable, and awake. The movie does not underestimate the gravity of its topic, and this is why its tension is not forgotten immediately after the scenes are over.
This realism makes ‘Dhurandhar’ look like a film that lacks the texture of most spy films. It is not merely entertaining. It’s disturbing, as it reminds you of how close the boundary between safety and anarchy is.
The Performances In ‘Dhurandhar’ Let The Story Breathe
Ranveer Singh gives one of his most restrained performances as Officer Hamza Ali Mazari. Gone are the flaunting ticks and theatrical flourishes. Here, he plays it inward, allowing silences and small reactions to do the heavy lifting. It is a performance that is constructed on restraint, and it forms the emotional core of the film. The antagonist of Akshaye Khanna is also very strong, cold, methodical, and disturbingly calm.
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His threat is not in quantity, but in accuracy. It is like watching him play chess, and he is always three moves ahead, and that is what makes him really scary. The film is supported by strong performances of Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, and Sanjay Dutt, without any feeling of overpopulation. ‘Dhurandhar’ is not a blockbuster because it was loud.
It is successful because it believes in intelligence rather than spectacle and patience rather than panic. This movie was a reminder that good storytelling and word of mouth can still be important in a time when the opening-day numbers are the order of the day. If you want a spy thriller that treats you like an adult viewer, ‘Dhurandhar’ is exactly that rare find.
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