Ram Gopal Varma’s review of Dhurandhar comes with a warning: Bollywood, it’s time to grow up.

Ram Gopal Varma has stirred fresh buzz around Dhurandhar with a surprisingly detailed review of Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller featuring Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna. His candid take has quickly become a talking point online—seen by many as both an appreciation of the film and a wake-up call for Bollywood.

Ram Gopal Varma jumped into the Dhurandhar conversation on Friday (December 19), posting his thoughts on X. For him, Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller isn’t just another flashy Bollywood blockbuster—it’s something deeper, something that challenges the usual formula.

Ram Gopal Varma hails Dhurandhar as a reality check for Bollywood.

For Ram Gopal Varma, Dhurandhar marks a turning point in Indian cinema—reshaping not just how films are made, but how they can think, feel, and function. In his words, Aditya Dhar has ‘single-handedly changed the future of Indian cinema, north and south alike,’ with a vision that goes beyond spectacle, reaching into the mind as much as the eye.

According to him, Dhurandhar doesn’t politely ask for attention—it demands it. From the very first frame, he says, the film drags viewers into a journey they can’t step away from, turning them into willing accomplices. Calling it ‘a film that refuses to be polite,’ the Satya director praised its sharp writing, powerful staging, and the way its silences cut as deeply as its sound design

Ram Gopal Varma sees Aditya Dhar’s real genius in the way he builds tension. Every scene in Dhurandhar, he says, feels tightly coiled—unpredictable and ready to break at any moment. The performances aren’t meant to charm or please, but to stay with you long after. Characters carry the weight of their pasts without spoon-fed backstories, trusting the audience to connect the dots. For RGV, that kind of confidence is exactly what makes Dhurandhar a defining moment for Indian cinema.

He also highlighted how Dhurandhar handles violence, saying it changes the very language of mainstream Indian cinema. For him, the action isn’t about choreographed stunts or applause—it’s raw, disturbing, and intentionally ugly, capturing the harshness of real violence. He also admired how the sound and camera don’t just sit in the background but actively shape the tension, pulling viewers deeper into the experience.

DHURANDHAR is not a film , it is a QUANTUM LEAP in INDIAN CINEMA

I believe that @AdityaDharFilms has completely and single handedly changed the future of Indian cinema , be it north or south ..That’s because Duradhar is not just a film.. it is a quantum leap

What Dhurandhar… — Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) December 19, 2025

For him, what makes Dhurandhar truly stand out isn’t just its craft—it’s the heart behind it. He admired the film for refusing to chase passing trends or mimic Hollywood, choosing instead to stay rooted in Indian storytelling while still carrying a global cinematic edge. As he put it, when the credits roll, you don’t just walk away entertained—you walk away changed. And to him, that’s the real ambition of cinema: to leave a mark on the mind, not just the moment.

Aditya Dhar shares a heartfelt response.

Aditya Dhar replied with a heartfelt note, expressing gratitude to Ram Gopal Varma for his words of validation. The URI director said Varma’s films didn’t just show him how to make movies—they taught him how to ‘think dangerously.’ He added that hearing Dhurandhar described as a ‘quantum leap’ felt both surreal and deeply challenging.

Ram Gopal Varma also drew out lessons for other filmmakers, pointing to how Dhurandhar resists the usual hero worship and instead lets flaws play out with real consequences. He praised Ranveer Singh for stepping aside when the story required it, giving Akshaye Khanna the space to command the frame. The film’s violence, he noted, isn’t staged as spectacle but felt as psychological impact, with action director Aejaz Gulab weaving character psychology into every fight and moment of tension.

Sir… 🙏
If this tweet were a film, I would have gone to watch it first day first show, stood in the last row, and come out changed.
I came to Mumbai years ago carrying one suitcase, one dream, and an unreasonable belief that I would one day work under Ram Gopal Verma. That never… — Aditya Dhar (@AdityaDharFilms) December 19, 2025

Wrapping up his thoughts, Ram Gopal Varma thanked Aditya Dhar ‘for making Indian cinema finally grow up.’ He stressed that Dhurandhar’s success isn’t just about box office numbers—it’s a wake-up call. In his words, the film stands as a clear warning to the industry: it’s time to grow up.

Dhurandhar: At a Glance

Since its release on December 5, Dhurandhar has stormed the box office, raking in over ₹450 crore in India and securing its place as the third-highest-grossing film of 2025. And the journey isn’t stopping there—the sequel is already locked in, set to hit theatres on March 19, 2026.