Dhurandhar arrives as a big spy thriller but moves at a very slow pace. The film is almost 3 hours 35 minutes long, and its story is treated like a web series, divided into episodes, which makes it feel stretched in a theatre viewing.

The story begins after the Kandahar hijack and the Parliament attack in the early 2000s. The Indian government decides to send an agent into Pakistan to break the ISI–underworld network that is linked to terrorism in India.

R. Madhavan plays a character inspired by Ajit Doval and chooses Ranveer Singh’s Hamza for this dangerous mission.

The film follows how Hamza enters Pakistan, deals with the feared gangster Rahman Daikat (Akshaye Khanna), and tries to destroy the criminal and ISI setup. The idea is strong, but the execution is weak.

Screenplay & Pacing

The screenplay is very slow. A few scenes create impact, but most of the film feels too long and flat. There is hardly any tension, excitement, or entertainment.
Even the action scenes are extremely violent but not very effective.

Performances

• Akshaye Khanna is the best part of the film. He delivers a powerful performance and steals every scene he is in.

• Ranveer Singh plays a quiet and controlled character. His expressions stay the same for most of the film. Only his last 20 minutes of transformation stand out.

• R. Madhavan gets limited time but performs very well.

• Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal are just average.

Main Problems

The biggest issue with Dhurandhar is its story focus. A large portion of the film revolves around Pakistan’s internal politics and gang wars, which have very little connection to India. Because of this, Indian audiences may not relate to the story.

A film of this scale needs:

• Tighter editing
• Strong twists and turns
• Big elevation moments
• A strong sense of patriotism

Dhurandhar does not offer these in the right amount.

Ending

The film ends with a cliffhanger, announcing that Part 2 will release in March 2026.