Soon after I watched D1, I’d already predicted that D2 would turn into propaganda for the ruling dispensation. I didn’t want to write the same review all over again, even though most people would probably disagree with me. So why speak up now? Read on…
The unexpected protagonist in D1 was Akshaye Khanna. But once I saw the film’s success, I knew D2 would pivot entirely to Ranveer Singh — and it did. He’s doubled down on Dhurandhar. A capitalist knows what sells and simply amplifies it; Aditya Dhar is no different. Ranveer Singh looks and plays the part of a full‑blown macho man, so he naturally becomes the true protagonist of D2. The cinematography is cranked up to the next level, which is probably why four hours feel strangely bearable.
If you peel off the propaganda façade, the movie reveals itself as a genuine Mission Impossible from Bollywood.
The reason I’m doing the review now is simple: I stumbled upon a Ranveer Singh film from way back in 2022 — Jayeshbhai Jordaar. A comical character with a social spine, where Ranveer plays a man who actually cares for women, not just treats them as babymakers. He learns the truth about XY chromosomes, stands up for his wife and daughter, and becomes the first man to defend them — that’s the real Dhurandhar.
What’s the point of living in Antilla if you can’t step outside and walk on the streets? — Dhruv Rathee. I’m using Antilla here to express billion Doller worth not your popularity. The corollary: You are a Dhurandar who wipes out an entire terror outfit across the border, yet your neighbour’s daughter is raped in broad daylight and you don’t even bat an eyelid.
आदमी मरने के बाद, कुछ नहीं बोलता. आदमी मरने के बाद, कुछ नहीं सोचता. कुछ नहीं बोलने से यह कुछ नहीं सोचने से, आदमी मर जाता है.
I’ll admit it — I’ve never been a big Lata Didi fan. Maybe it’s because I’m musically challenged, not just vertically challenged. That said my most favorite female singer is Shreya Ghoshal; an academic maestro of music, who calls Lata as Goddess herself. I will concur with the wisdom of SG. Cut To: Indian Idol Season 16 aired on Feb 8th, I happened to tune on Sunday out of boredom to watch the incredible budding singers, only to see that there was another Tribute to Lata Didi. A little underwhelmed but still curious to listen to the young singers belch out Lata Di songs. A welcome change was seeing someone other than Aditya Narayan hosting the show. This time it was a new face — Manoj Muntashir (yes, I had to Google him). With the poetic ease he spoke, I soon felt a lump in my throat. Song after song, he unpacked Lata’s gestures, her grace, and the small acts of generosity that defined her — like charging one rupee less than Mukesh. The singers themselves faded into the background as I waited to hear what he would reveal next about her legacy. His lyrical narration of Lata’s kindness and camaraderie was mesmerizing and genuinely tear‑jerking. However, I must confess why I remain a conflicted admirer. I am a fan of Veer-Zaara, a film that feels so raw it must be carved from a real story—perhaps inspired by the tragic, border-crossing love of Boota Singh. When the music plays and I visualize Shah Rukh Khan reaching out from that helicopter for Preity Zinta, I am right there with him, arm outstretched in a desperate search for connection. But then, she opens her mouth to sing, and I hear the voice of a 75-year-old Lata Mangeshkar. In that moment, the illusion shatters; my reaching hand recoils into a clinched fist, unable to reconcile the youthful face of Zaara with the aged, albeit legendary, timbre of the voice.
An absolutely stunning cinematic achievement. Based on poignant real-world events—and a sincere thank you to Rajuul for the recommendation—I would describe this film as India’s answer to The Trial of the Chicago 7. Please don’t shoot the messenger, there are many more wonderful court room dramas made in Indian Cinema. It is a staggering realization that it took nearly 40 years for this story to finally grace the screen.
As a long-time admirer of period pieces, I found the preservation of the era and the intricate Islamic architecture to be visually mesmerizing. While the film is slow-paced, it is never stagnant; the screenplay is masterfully crafted, ensuring the tension remains taut. The soundtrack is equally evocative, particularly the haunting melody of Haq hai Mera, which lingers in the mind long after the credits roll. Yami Gautam’s portrayal of Shabaz Bano is nothing short of transcendent. She brings a conviction to the screen that anchors the film’s core message: Iqra. This mandatory lesson—to read, to recite, and to seek knowledge—reminds us that while every faith teaches goodness, the narrative is often distorted by the intermediaries of religion. The film is a clarion call to return to the source—the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, or the Bible—and interpret the truth for ourselves.
If I have one “pet peeve” in an otherwise flawless production, it is the portrayal of aging. Given the protagonist’s 43-year marriage, a touch of gray hair would have lent a layer of necessary realism. Western cinema often treats the dignity of age with a specific visual gravity that was slightly missed here.
Firstly I want to thank Abhi for recommending this movie to me. Then I saw the Akshaye Khannas viral moves, I was hooked. A fantastic block buster movie it is, if I can shake off that subtle (or not so subtle) political propaganda.
So here comes the Good, the Bad the Ugly.
The Good: Boasting cinematography that is truly top-tier, this production emerges as a sophisticated spy thriller, soaring far above the pompous, high-octane spectacle of predecessors like Pathaan, Jawan, and Tiger. The ensemble cast delivers a masterclass in performance; every actor inhabits their role with a stunning, meticulous precision that anchors the narrative’s gravity. Predominantly set within the borders of Pakistan, the film maintains a refreshing restraint, steering clear of heavy-handed propaganda but for a few fleeting, sharp dialogues. Not since the legendary Sholay has a film possessed such a magnetic, arresting grip on my attention. The characterizations are superlative—from Arjun Rampal’s commanding portrayal of an ISI Chief to Rakesh Bedi’s nuanced turn as a Pakistani politician. Had this cinematic triumph been titled Don of Pakistan, it would undoubtedly explain why it has garnered such fervent admiration from Baluchistan and Pakistani audiences alike. At the heart of this brilliance is Akshaye Khanna, the film’s true protagonist, who carries the entire narrative on his shoulders with a powerhouse performance. While his viral dance sequence is undeniably captivating, it is his overall screen presence—commanding, dominant, and electric; that truly defines this masterpiece. I don’t think this is a propaganda movie, but I get why people feel that way. The last few films, especially Vivek Agnihotri’s, have set such a bad precedent. A perfect writing/direction by Aditya Dhar.
The Bad: Animal is the film that really kicked off this recent trend of excessive goriness, and each new release seems determined to push it even further. Unsurprisingly, it has driven away some viewers — including my better half. While it’s natural for audiences to be drawn to stylized violence on screen rather than in real life, the troubling part is how this on‑screen brutality seems to be spilling into the real world. That said, the decision by some Arab nations to ban the movie feels completely misguided.
The Ugly: R. Madhavan: — ‘Let’s save these documents; in the future there will be a better Prime Minister’ — felt completely unnecessary. This is especially disappointing coming from someone with his background. He comes from my own fraternity of engineering, something I’m genuinely proud of. He was an NCC cadet who trained with the British Army in England, once dreamed of joining the Indian Army, excelled in public speaking, and even represented India at the Young Business Conference in Japan. After all of this, he chose to pursue acting — and with such a stellar education and sharp acumen, he accepted the role of Ajit Doval, a highly respected former Intelligence and RAW chief. Yet he delivered that dialogue with such carelessness. It’s possible he didn’t fully grasp the implications of the line while filming — though if anyone should have, it’s someone with his training and analytical mind. But after watching the final cut, he could have at least clarified publicly that the dialogue was not a precise reflection of the character and risked being interpreted as propaganda. Celebrities today don’t voice their opinions — whether it’s Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, or Aamir Khan — often facing backlash for doing so. Hrithik Roshan initially praised the film while acknowledging its propagandist elements, only to backtrack later. Madhavan, with his stature and credibility, could have taken a clearer stand.
Here’s my conclusion: if I only had the budget for one movie ticket, I’d skip a big family blockbuster like Avatar: Fire and Ash and choose Dhurandhar instead. I actually ditched my family and took a leap of faith on this one — and I wasn’t disappointed. That said, I’m already bracing myself for May 2026 Dhurandhar 2: Revenge, because I’m convinced the sequel will be full‑blown propaganda, and I won’t be watching it in theaters.”
When India came to bat it started off slow but later Rohit Sharma went for his classic shots, unfortunately fell short and was dismissed at 20. After that is was of Shubam Gill. In the end it took semi-retired and semi-UK resident Virat Kohli to close the match with an impressive score of 100 not out with style. The man of the match.
I felt compelled to write about Usha Vance, the second lady of USA. She exuberates grace backed by her knowledge as opposed to first lady. The saying ‘There is a woman behind every successful man‘, she is a testimony.
Her smile and grace has captivated the entire inauguration while the First Lady hid her face behind that Don’t Kiss Me hat. Usha is a daughter of immigrants – the one who Donald Trump wants to deny the birthright citizenship; Usha is Yale graduate lawyer, mother of three: you need to stand against bullies, just a beautiful smile doesn’t cut it.
On a lighter note what caught my attention the whole time with Usha’s attire, which the western world has compared it to Audrey Hepburn, for us Indians it was the look of old age movie era of Dil Chahta Hai song Wo Ladki Hai Kahan.
I am no financial pundit that I can comment on falling Rupee against Dollar, it has fallen in the PM Manmohan Singh era and has fallen in PM Narendra Modi’s era, so it is not a political issue.
I asked Chat GPT and Grok, Why Rupee is falling against Dollar
Chat GPT
Grok
1. Global Economic Factors 2. India’s Trade Deficit 3. Capital Outflows 4. Inflation and Interest Rate Differential 5. Weak Economic Data 6. Central Bank Policies 7. Geopolitical and Market Sentiment 8. Speculation and Hedging
1. Strong U.S. Dollar 2. Foreign Investment Outflows 3. High Crude Oil Prices 4. Inflation and Interest Rate Differentials 5. Geopolitical Tensions and Global Economic Uncertainty 6. Current Account Deficit 7. RBI Interventions 8. Market Sentiment and Speculation
Rupee falling is consistent, but what has fallen during Modi’s era is First Amendment
Here are the comments made by celebrities before 2014
Falling rupee matters least to these celebrities as they all stay and are invested in Western Countries. What is sad is that they have lost their voice – Freedom of Speech.
The man who opened up the economy in 1991, I stand indebted to him. The degrees he acquired during his lifetime stand as a record with the highest educated politician in the World. My head would drop in shame when the Late night TV hosts in America used to call Indian PMs as Robots (PM Atal Bihari Vaypayee) and their monotonous speech (MMS) – then karma hit; America got Biden and India got Modi. The opposition politicians cried calling him Maun (Mute) PM, he was very fragile in his speech, but it was President Barack Obama the greatest orator who applauded the economic knowledge of MMS in Davos meet. Compare that to the current leadership where one day they held hands like sweethearts and frolicked in India and America but now a delegation is sent to get invited for ones inauguration, sigh!
Did any of you notice that most of India’s celebrities from Cricket and Movies have not acknowledged the passing of this great man? Whats up with that? How disturbing is that these celebrities that our Indian youth spend 100 Crores a weekend lead by such example. How polarized a nation have we become.
Now to his humbleness: MMS was extremely humble and simple (Congress leadership is accused of taking advantage of this) akin to PM Lal Bahadur Shastri, I heard that MMS stepped out of UN building to eat his breakfast buying street bagels (my favorite breakfast in NYC) instead of spending government money on expensive breakfast; needs citation. Another story is, Mrs MMS (Gursharan Kaur) has a sister who is settled in Hubli (my town) who visited to see her ailing sister but never used the VVIP security and stayed at IB Bungalow and paid out her pocket. More importantly MMS never spread hate, lived with decency, humility and compassion. I consider MMS as the last decent politician.
It seems to me that we are systematically eradicating the names of our first Prime Minister of India and the Father of the Nation. Nehru created the IITs and RECs. Although I am not part of that institution, my college from Karnataka University was the second top institution in Karnataka. The likes of my college and COEP(One of the greatest non IIT institutions) emulated the IIT curriculum, those institutions then were heavily govt aided and generated millions of engineers. Today, a new political party comes to power and dislikes the party the first PM is linked to and tries to eradicate the legacy built by these pioneers. Nehru had flaws in his governance (who does not have and I am least qualified to talk about it) but he was the chosen man then as opposed to Sardar Vallabhai Patel, although it is Patel who nominated Nehru to the top post for his ailing health. The flaws of Nehru is best narrated by one of the greatest legends JRD Tata and concludes with a statement he loved Nehru. I will continue to felicitate them as long as I live. We grew up calling him Chacha Nehru, our parents never objected to it, but now we do not want to pass to our children. My children are growing up in America, who need not know these personalities unless they want to dig upon the roots of their parents. Democrats have governed USA for several terms not once have they said anything against George Washington and Abraham Lincoln which my children continue to felicitate and will hopefully pass it on to their children. Happy Birthday Chacha Nehru!
Alright this is another movie/serial of Kajol comeback, well the show is stolen by Kirti Sanon, good acting by her as she has been doing well including with that of Sifra(2024) and Crew(2024). It appears to me that Kajol has something with being a lawyer, she wants to be one, after the failed attempt at The Trial(2023), here she is a police officer but takes upon herself to fight this domestic violence case; faminisim much!! It is not that cliche that a police officer argues in the court of law; she does have a law degree. This begs the question if she had a law degree then why did she not practice; I thought only engineers do any job they get, now lawyers too. I hope Kajol’s next quest is not to fight a real case or apply for CJI.
I am really supposed to focus on the story not on the personal life of Kajol; disclaimer, I am huge fan of Kajol since her debut in Baazigar(1993)(debut for me), Yeh Dillagi(1994) and DDLJ(1995). There is little acting by Kajol in the movie, instead of practicing MC and BC, she could have practised on treadmill. She badly wants to be Richard Gere of Primal Fear(1996), sorry but there is only one Primal Fear, how many a ways you try to twist the story. The case faught in the court is pathetic at best. Being an Indian movie it has been dragged to 190 mins by explaining; how the twins have conned Kajol.
In the end I just want to say that my quest for Indian Meryl Streep; the GOAT continues, have lost hopes on Madhuri Dixit, now Kajol, waiting on Raveena Tandon. The only credible one as of now is Tabu. There is another who claims that she is actually Meryl Streep of India, when you claim you know you are not.
