In this Dhurandhar: The Revenge movie review, we explore a film that doesn’t just raise the bar for Bollywood sequels — it shatters it entirely. When was the last time a Hindi film made you sit through nearly four hours and feel like it wasn’t enough? Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge does exactly that — gripping you from the first frame and refusing to let go until the credits roll.
The sequel to the blockbuster original arrives with the weight of massive expectations, and it carries them with ease. This is not merely a bigger version of what came before. It is a more emotionally layered, more explosive, and more human film — one that gives Ranveer Singh the canvas he deserves and lets him paint something truly unforgettable.
Dhurandhar: The Revenge is a landmark spy action thriller that delivers on every front — outstanding performances, a masterfully written screenplay, breathtaking action sequences, and a climax that will leave you speechless. A few minor pacing issues and politically direct moments may divide opinions, but this is, without question, one of the finest Hindi films ever made in the genre.
Language: Hindi
Age Rating: U/A
Genre: Spy Action Thriller, Patriotic Drama
Director: Aditya Dhar
Runtime: 3 Hours 50 Minutes
The Plot: A Spy Story Like No Other
At its heart, Dhurandhar: The Revenge is about transformation — of a man, a mission, and a nation’s will. Jaskirat Singh Rangi, an army cadet with deep roots in military service, is trained in secrecy to become Hamza Ali Mazari and infiltrate the volatile underworld of Lyari, Pakistan. The setup is established crisply and efficiently, giving the film an early momentum that never truly fades.
After the death of Rehman Dakait leaves Lyari in chaos, Hamza manoeuvres brilliantly — planting distrust between SP Chaudhary Aslam (Sanjay Dutt) and Uzair Baloch (Danish Pandor), and ultimately seizing control of the entire network. What follows is a carefully layered spy saga asking a deeper question: how long can a man hold onto who he truly is when he has become someone else entirely?
The screenplay, one of the finest in recent Hindi cinema, weaves in a stunning blend of fact and fiction — including a bold narrative connection to a real political assassination — without ever losing the grip of its central story. Aditya Dhar builds this world brick by brick, and every brick holds.
Check Out: Dhurandhar Review: A Powerful, Unflinching War Thriller That Commands Attention
Performances: A Masterclass From Every Actor on Screen
Ranveer Singh — Career-Best, No Debate
Ranveer Singh was restrained in the first chapter because the role demanded it. The Revenge demands the opposite — and he answers the call with everything he has. From his first appearance as Jaskirat, fresh-faced and earnest, to his commanding, dangerous avatar as Hamza, the transformation is seamless and utterly convincing.
What makes this performance extraordinary is not just the intensity — it is the vulnerability. In his quietest moments, when the mission weighs heaviest and the loneliness cuts deepest, Ranveer makes you feel it all. His towering screen presence is matched by genuine emotional depth, and the result is a performance that will be discussed for years. Welcome back, Ranveer Singh — you never really left, but this is a reminder of just how special you are.
Arjun Rampal — The Antagonist We Deserved
As Major Iqbal, a cold and fiercely anti-India military operative, Arjun Rampal delivers the performance of his recent career. He is terrifying in his calculation, and then devastating in his fury after a deeply personal trigger sets him off. His ten-minute confrontation with his own father is the kind of scene that makes you forget you are watching a film. Rampal holds you so tightly in those moments that letting go feels like loss.
Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan & the Rest
Sanjay Dutt commands the first half with his trademark brooding authority, giving SP Chaudhary Aslam the dangerous weight the character needs. R. Madhavan, as Sanyal, operates with surgical precision in the second half — making the theatre erupt with patriotic fervour with minimal screen time. The man is simply magnetic. Rakesh Bedi is the surprise package of the entire film — his character arc is among the most brilliantly written in the franchise, and his payoff moment will have audiences on their feet. Sara Arjun and Manav Gohil add capable support, while Danish Pandor’s Uzair Baloch, though slightly underwritten, still leaves an impression.
Check Out: Dhurandhar OTT Release: When and Where to Watch Ranveer Singh’s Record-Breaking Blockbuster
Direction & Screenplay: Aditya Dhar, The Rare Jewel
There is a very short list of directors who can make a 229-minute film feel lean. Aditya Dhar belongs on that list. His control over tone, pace, and emotional register is extraordinary. He knows exactly when to unleash the action, when to hold back for a quiet human moment, and when to let a single scene carry the full weight of the story.
The screenplay is a masterwork. It builds its mystery with patience, rewards attentive viewers with callbacks to the first film, and delivers twists that genuinely cannot be seen coming. The blending of real political events into the fictional narrative — particularly around a controversial assassination in Prayagraj — is handled with the confidence of a storyteller who trusts his material completely. Dhurandhar: The Revenge will serve as a textbook example of how to craft a spy thriller for generations to come.
Check Out: Akshaye Khanna Returns as Rehman Dakait in Dhurandhar 2 Following Massive Fan Response
Technical Craft: World-Class in Every Department
Cinematography by Vikas Nowlakha brings the gritty, volatile streets of Lyari and Karachi to vivid, immersive life. Every frame is purposeful and atmospheric.
Shashwat Sachdev’s background score is the film’s beating heart — chest-thumping in the action sequences, tender in the emotional ones, and seamlessly woven into the narrative rather than placed over it. The songs, while decent, don’t quite reach the iconic heights of the original — the one area where the film falls marginally short.
Editing by Shivkumar V. Panicker is a quiet marvel. For a film of this length and complexity, the pacing remains remarkably tight. A couple of scenes in the second half’s opening stretch could have been trimmed, but these are minor observations about an otherwise flawless cut.
Action choreography and production design are world-class. The pre-climax to climax stretch, in particular, is cinema at its very best — the face-off between Ranveer Singh and Arjun Rampal will be talked about as one of the greatest sequences in Hindi cinema’s spy thriller genre.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Ranveer Singh delivers a career-defining, emotionally rich performance
- Aditya Dhar’s direction is visionary — a 229-minute film that never loses momentum
- Arjun Rampal and Rakesh Bedi are sensational in key supporting roles
- Screenplay is among the finest in modern Hindi cinema — unpredictable and deeply satisfying
- Pre-climax to climax stretch is breathtaking, unmissable cinema
- Background score by Shashwat Sachdev is thunderous and precise
- Patriotism is woven in with power and subtlety in equal measure
Weaknesses
- A couple of slightly paced-down scenes at the start of the second half
- Songs are decent but don’t match the first installment’s tracks
- Direct political themes in certain chapters may spark debate among viewers
Final Verdict
Dhurandhar: The Revenge is not just a great sequel. It is a great film, full stop. Aditya Dhar has delivered one of the finest franchises in the history of Indian cinema, and this chapter is its crowning jewel. Ranveer Singh gives the kind of performance that reminds you why you fell in love with cinema. The action is spectacular, the emotion is earned, and the story is told with an intelligence and craft that respects every rupee the audience spends.
Go watch it in the biggest, loudest theatre you can find. Dhurandhar: The Revenge is not meant to be watched — it is meant to be experienced.
Dhurandhar: The Revenge is unmissable. 5/5 — Highest Recommendation.
What is the age rating of Dhurandhar: The Revenge?
Dhurandhar: The Revenge carries a U/A certificate in India.
Can we watch Dhurandhar: The Revenge with kids?
The film is not recommended for young children given its nearly four-hour runtime, graphic action sequences, and thematically complex spy narrative.
Is Dhurandhar: The Revenge based on a true story?
Dhurandhar: The Revenge is a fictional spy thriller, but it draws inspiration from real events and real political incidents in India and Pakistan. The film notably incorporates a narrative thread connected to the controversial assassination of Ateeq Ahmad in Prayagraj.
