As the spy-thriller Dhurandhar continues its record-breaking run at the box office, veteran actor and playwright Makarand Deshpande has offered a refreshing take on the film’s massive success. In a recent interview, the Satya star shifted the spotlight away from the film’s leading men, Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, placing the laurels firmly at the feet of director Aditya Dhar.
Deshpande, whose portrayal of “Sir” in the 1998 cult classic Satya remains iconic, drew a direct parallel between the two films. He noted that Dhurandhar captures a similar grounded intensity that defined the golden era of gritty underworld dramas.
“I liked the film. To me, it felt like a version of Satya,” Deshpande remarked during a conversation with ABP Live. He emphasized that the film’s strength lies in its realism—a departure from the gravity-defying action tropes often seen in modern Indian cinema. “It’s more realistic… people are not flying. There is intensity, and there are actors actually acting.”
While the audience and critics have been divided on who delivered the better performance—Ranveer Singh as the undercover agent Hamza or Akshaye Khanna as the menacing Rehman Dakait—Deshpande believes the debate misses the point. According to him, the true architect of these performances is Aditya Dhar.
Deshpande argued that just as Ram Gopal Varma was the driving force behind the success of Satya, Aditya Dhar is the visionary responsible for the Dhurandhar phenomenon. He suggested that while the actors delivered the lines, it was Dhar’s vision that gave those characters their soul and lived-in feel. He specifically noted that the way Akshaye Khanna was presented was fantastic, crediting Dhar for building every role with depth.
The film, which delves into the dark underbelly of cross-border espionage and the gangs of Lyari, has become a cultural milestone. Dhurandhar: The Revenge has already climbed to the position of the fourth-highest-grossing Indian film of all time, amassing over 1,600 crore worldwide.
Deshpande’s comments come at a time when the industry is buzzing with praise for the franchise. While some have joked about the jealousy the film’s success has sparked in Bollywood, Deshpande’s critique focuses on the craft. By comparing Dhar to a pioneer like RGV, he has elevated the director from a hit-maker to a cinematic craftsman. To know such latest updates tuned tellyboosters.com Thank you!
