Indian filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s sequel Dhurandhar: The Revenge has attracted an outpouring of high-profile praise from across the film industry, with actors, composers and critics describing it as an ambitious follow-up that surpasses expectations.
The film, released worldwide on 19 March to coincide with festivals including Gudi Padwa, Ugadi and Eid, is the second instalment in Dhar’s spy-action franchise.
Early reactions from prominent figures in Indian cinema have highlighted its scale, performances and emotional depth, setting high expectations for its box office run.
Grammy-winning composer Rickey Kej described the sequel as a “masterpiece”, pointing to its tonal blend of large-scale realism and stylised action. He suggested the film expands significantly on the first instalment, with more developed characters and a narrative that builds towards a powerful climax. Kej also singled out the score by Shaswat Sachdev as distinctive, while praising lead actor Ranveer Singh for what he called his strongest performance to date.
Actor Allu Arjun echoed those sentiments, describing the film as a technically accomplished and crowd-pleasing spectacle, with “clap-worthy” moments and a strong patriotic theme. He also commended the performances of R. Madhavan and Singh, and said Dhar had delivered a film with both domestic appeal and international style.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh wrote that the sequel exceeds the “sky-high” expectations set by the original, citing its fast-paced screenplay, emotional core and dramatic climax as standout elements. He highlighted Singh’s performance as central to the film, while also noting strong supporting roles from actors including Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal. Adarsh predicted the film would perform strongly at the box office.
Junior NTR praised the film as a powerful and emotionally resonant film, highlighting Ranveer Singh’s performance as exceptional and describing director Aditya Dhar’s vision as bold and skilfully executed. He also commended R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal for their performances, and noted that Shaswat Sachdev’s music heightened the film’s impact, predicting it would leave a lasting impression on audiences.
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma offered a more hyperbolic assessment, suggesting the film could mark a shift in cinematic storytelling due to its scale and impact.
Meanwhile, director Madhur Bhandarkar described the nearly four-hour production as a “high-stakes sequel” with relentless pacing, adding that Singh’s performance stood out for its intensity and conviction.
Ahead of the release, Dhar appealed directly to audiences not to share spoilers, emphasising that the film was designed for a theatrical experience.
Reflecting on the success of the first film, released in December 2025, he said audience engagement had shaped the approach to the sequel, with a focus on delivering unexpected emotional moments.
Dhurandhar: The Revenge has been released in multiple Indian languages including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam, underscoring its broad target audience. Its reception in the coming weeks will determine whether early praise translates into sustained commercial success.
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