Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has sharply criticised the film industry’s muted response to the blockbuster success of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’, calling the silence “shocking” and warning peers to take note or risk irrelevance.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ has emerged as a box-office juggernaut, grossing over Rs 600 crore worldwide. Despite its unprecedented run, Varma questioned why the industry has not more vocally acknowledged the film’s achievement.
Taking to X on Sunday, Varma described the film’s impact in dramatic terms. “Now that @AdityaDharFilms has EXPLODED an ATOMIC BOMB right under the film industry, what is shocking is the loud silence from the rest of the film industry,” he wrote.
He went on to speculate whether the lack of response stems from denial, disbelief, or an inability to match the film’s scale and execution.
Varma further criticised what he suggested could be a tendency within the industry to dismiss the film’s success.
The filmmaker wrote, “I don’t know whether this is because the #Dhurandhar2’s devastating explosion has hurled everyone else in the film industry so far into OUTER SPACE that their applause cannot reach here due to the long distances, OR whether they’re huddled in denial, whispering to each other, ‘It’s just propaganda… it will go away soon,’ so that they can crawl back and resume making their same old repetitive films. OR are they just paralysed by the film’s sheer brilliance, realising that whatever they’ve been making or planning to make now simply cannot measure up?”
He further questioned whether insiders are downplaying it as temporary or avoiding engagement altogether. Calling such an approach “unwise and foolish,” he compared the film to a “dinosaur” that cannot be ignored, highlighting its overwhelming box-office performance and cultural impact.
“But isn’t it extremely unwise to ignore a DINOSAUR like #Dhurandhar2 staring you in the face and BREATHING FIRE into your eyes with its BOX OFFICE ROAR shaking the very ground beneath their feet , how can anyone be so foolish enough to look away,” he wrote on X.
In a strongly worded conclusion, Varma urged filmmakers and industry professionals to study the film closely. He advised colleagues to treat ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ as a benchmark in filmmaking, warning that failure to adapt could leave them “buried forever in the graveyard of pre-March 19, 2026 cinema.”
Meanwhile, several prominent names, including Anupam Kher, SS Rajamouli, Karan Johar, and Alia Bhatt, have praised the film and Ranveer Singh’s performance on social media
Released on March 19, with paid previews on March 18, the film, led by Ranveer Singh, follows the transformation of Jaskirat Singh Rangi into Indian spy Hamza Ali Mazari. Set against a backdrop of political intrigue and espionage, the narrative traces Hamza’s rise through Lyari’s underworld and political ranks as he undertakes a mission to dismantle a terror network in Pakistan.
‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ also features Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun.
