New Delhi, Jan 9 : “Dhurandhar”, an almost four-hour Pakistan set spy drama, is the highest earning Hindi film of all time, setting the box office ringing and raising many a question – why, how come, what’s working?
Slick storytelling, great music, well packaged “clear propaganda” that may have polarised views but not audiences who are filling theatres week after week… its potent mix of fact and fiction has made the Aditya Dhar film fronted by Ranveer Singh unstoppable since its release on December 5.
With domestic earnings of Rs 840 crore (gross), according to the makers, it has dethroned the Hindi version of Allu Arjun’s “Pushpa 2” (Rs 830 crore). Global figures stand at Rs 1,240 crore.
Posit this against the fact that it has been banned in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia as well as in Pakistan for its monochromatic character depictions.
The high-octane thriller follows covert intelligence operations set against a backdrop of the Kandahar plane hijack, 2001 Parliament attack and 26/11 Mumbai attacks, events which are seared into India’s contemporary history and strike an emotive note.
As political analyst Sanjay Ranade sees it, the film’s popularity can be attributed to its ability to fulfill “confirmation bias”. In his view, “Dhurandhar” is “a good blend of reality, spiced up with fiction”, which makes it difficult for viewers to separate fact from fiction.
“The film mentions two big events, 26/11 terror attacks and the Parliament attack, and the newspaper and television give you snippets of what may’ve happened but you don’t get the full picture. So, over the years, the narrative has been built around these events and one of the narratives is that Pakistan is involved. But movies like this use inherent confirmation bias,” Ranade told PTI.
“Satya” director Ram Gopal Varma had a diametrically opposite view. Eloquent in his praise for the film, he said it has redrawn the grammar of mainstream Indian cinema.
“This is not a film chasing trends or validation. It is a solemn declaration, that Indian cinema doesn’t need to dilute itself to become successful and doesn’t need to mindlessly copy Hollywood. Dhar proved that it can be rooted and still be internationally cinematic,” Varma said in a social media post.
The film, which cleverly weaves geopolitical and terror events into its script, is mostly set in Lyari town of Karachi, an area known for its history of gang wars and violent turf battles.
For many, Dhar’s gripping direction coupled with great music is what is keeping audiences spellbound despite its unusually long runtime.
Production house Yash Raj Films, which has nothing to do with “Dhurandhar”, came out with a rare statement in praise.
“As the caption of the ship, Aditya Dhar’s clarity of purpose, fearless storytelling and unwavering commitment to excellence have set a new benchmark for Indian cinema,” it said on Instagram.
In film exhibitor Akshay Rathi’s view, Dhar could have easily been distracted by his A-list cast, which includes Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan and Akshaye Khanna. But he did not.
“It’s the storytelling and the way it has been told and what’s been told, every scene is gripping and every fold of events keeps you on the edge of your seat, and that’s what is amazing about the film,” Rathi said.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh added that its writing and gripping direction have worked towards making it an extraordinary success.
“Rarely, do you see a film like this which is so perfect in every sense. A lot of people said it’s a three-and-half hour film, it’s adult rated and that there’s too much violence but everything is justified. It is a tsunami,” Adarsh told PTI.
Karan Johar, too, said he was blown away by “Dhurandhar”.
“… It made me question my ability as a filmmaker,” he said.
Many reviews of the film were harsh, pointing out that it played to stereotypes and built up propaganda. They were not received well and one critic was even forced to withdraw her review due to the online backlash against it.
According to Colonel DB Tingre, a retired Army officer and movie buff, the propaganda factor is high.
“Very sadly, it appears that people are ready to believe unbelievable things… For the last 10 to 15 years, we are seeing there’s hyper nationalism. What has changed? Materially, has anything changed at the border? No.”
Ranade added that films have been used to further the state’s agenda the world over and American movies have done that for years.
“This did not exist in India before. Like, there were people who had their own ideology and hence they were making certain kinds of films. If you look at Aditya Dhar’s career, whether it’s ‘Uri’ or this film, it’s clear propaganda. So the state has gotten into this, and they know which one to use or not use, or what to promote, etc.
“The Americans do it and it has come from American cinema… In World War 2 films, all Germans are villains,” he explained.
Actor Hrithik Roshan has praised “Dhurandhar” but also said he disagrees with its politics.
“I love cinema, I love people who climb into a vortex and let the story take control, spin them, shake them until what they want to say is purged out of them onto that screen. ‘Dhurandhar’ is an example of that. Loved the storytelling. It’s cinema,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories soon after the release.
“I may disagree with the politics of it, and argue about the responsibilities us filmmakers should bear as citizens of the world. Nevertheless, can’t ignore how I loved and learnt from this one as a student of cinema. Amazing,” Roshan said.
In his review for Letterboxd, a social media platform for movie lovers, Anurag Kashyap said he enjoyed “Dhurandhar” but some sequences were problematic.
“… Genuine politics. Agree or disagree with it. Man is honest. Not an opportunist like others.”
The “Dhurandhar” fever is not likely to subside soon. Part two of the film is ready for release and will be out in theatres on March 19.
As the film continuing to be hotly debated topic with film lovers, academics and industry insiders discussing their views for and against while box office figures continue to climb, the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association also stepped in with an appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It asked him to intervene on the “unilateral” ban on “Dhurandhar” in the United Arab Emirates and several other countries in the region, terming the move a suppression of freedom of expression.
The film is produced by Dhar and Lokesh Dhar under B62 Studios in association with Jyoti Deshpande’s Jio Studios.
