Dhurandhar Trailer: Why Aditya Dhar’s Ambition Might Redefine the Indian Spy Genre

There is a reason Aditya Dhar said, “We are trying to create something we haven’t seen before in Indian cinema,” and there is a reason the answer should be, “You’re goddamn right.”

Most filmmakers hype their own movies. Very few back that confidence with clarity, scale, and a visible creative conviction. Dhurandhar appears to be that rare film where the promise matches the frame. With every new visual from the teaser and trailer, the movie feels like a direct response to the one complaint audiences have repeated for years. They wanted action that was raw, grounded, wounded, angry, and shaped by the real world. They wanted the opposite of glossy spy glamour. They wanted fire. This is the first time a filmmaker seems determined to give that to them without compromise.

A Production That Survived Storms

The journey of Dhurandhar has been intense right from its announcement on 27 July 2024. A squared poster introduced a cast that felt like a lineup built for war. The ambition was visible from day one. What impressed many of us was how the investment was flowing into things that appear on screen. You can see the cost in the frames.

The team built Pakistan in Thailand on a six acre set, recreating an entire era with old newspapers, movie cuttings, broken walls, and period correct props. Nearly three months went into just this worldbuilding. The film shot across countries. It insisted on practical locations even when the schedules became brutal.

The Ladakh incident says everything about this team’s conviction. One hundred and twenty crew members were hospitalised due to severe food poisoning in the final schedule. The shoot was delayed. Costs increased. Yet the pressure remained the same. The makers had to meet the reserved release date of 5 December.

Despite the chaos, the work continued.

Clearing Rumours With Verified Information

The trailer created excitement and confusion. So let us clear the noise.

One. The only character whose inspiration is confirmed is R Madhavan as Ajay Sanyal. His look clearly reflects the persona of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The resemblance is too precise to be accidental.

Two. Ranveer Singh’s character is not based on Major Mohit Sharma. This rumour circulated because audiences tried to decode the teaser like a puzzle. The truth is that Dhurandhar pulls from multiple covert operations of the late 90s and 2000s. Arjun Rampal’s childhood memory of hearing the 1971 war on radio also places the timeline somewhere between the late 90s and mid 2000s.

Dhar is compressing many operations into one cinematic universe.

The Two Part Structure Confirmed

This is the point that worried many viewers. Big movies in India have often promised a part two as a trick. Many of those sequels have been cancelled because part one underperformed.

Dhurandhar is different because part two is already complete in terms of writing and planning. This is not a cliffhanger scam. The material is too vast to fit a single feature. The film reportedly runs over three hours and the universe requires another installment.

It is a creative choice, not a financial gamble.

Of course, the pressure remains. Dhurandhar needs strong theatrical performance for audiences to return for the second chapter. Yet this is one of the few cases where splitting the story into two feels necessary. Think of Gangs of Wasseypur. Think of Rakta Charitra. When the world is heavy, you divide it with purpose.

The Trailer: A Four Minute Storm

The trailer is long. Nearly four minutes. It opens with a shot that punches you straight in the chest. Arjun Rampal as Iqbal, introduced as the Angel of Death, torturing an Indian spy. Blood dripping. Eyes cold. Him delivering national security decisions like a shadow prime minister. The trailer announces the rating and tone in the first frame.

Rampal steals the trailer entirely. This is the actor everyone forgot could be terrifying. He is finally in a role that uses his menace.

R Madhavan looks extraordinary as Ajay Sanyal, the Charioteer of Karma. Akshaye Khanna radiates swagger as Rehman Dakait, a political overlord who controls the street and the ballot without needing posters. Sanjay Dutt is the Jinn, a loyal and violent SP of the Pakistan Police whose presence alone can freeze a scene.

The action looks real because it is real. Wide depth of field, real roads, real dust, real chases. No plastic CGI. After years of digital slop, this looks refreshing.

The Curious Case of Ranveer Singh’s Absence

The most surprising aspect of the trailer is how quiet Ranveer Singh’s presence is. The man playing the Wrath of God barely speaks in the edit. Most of his shots are slow motion walks, bruised expressions, or setups that hide the mission.

This might be intentional. Dhar is hiding the core of the movie in order to keep the mystery alive. It is a risk. But it also suggests there is more to Ranveer’s character than the marketing reveals.

Music, Vibe, Scale

The teaser hit harder because of the music edit. The recreation of “Na Dil De Pardesi Nu,” enhanced by Punjabi MC in 2003 as “Jogi,” landed with thunderous energy. Shashwat Sachdev’s score in the trailer has some brilliant moments but feels uneven in parts because the material is dense and the characters have different tones. Scoring a movie of this size is difficult.

Still, the vibe remains raw and furious. The trailer hints at a universe that has both political weight and personal madness.

Final Thoughts

The trailer is imperfect. The teaser was sharper. The structure becomes repetitive after two minutes. Yet the world, the characters, the commitment to realism, and the sheer ambition make Dhurandhar one of the most exciting Hindi films in years.

This movie wants to hold nothing back. It wants to pour sweat, blood and dirt onto the screen. It wants to bring respect back to the Indian spy genre.

And in a calendar year full of hype and disappointment, Dhurandhar might just be the final storm we were waiting for. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Dhurandhar based on real Indian covert operations or a single true story?

Dhurandhar is inspired by multiple covert operations carried out by Indian intelligence from the late 90s to the mid 2000s. The film does not follow one mission or one real person. It takes elements from several real events and creates a combined narrative that fits the timeline and political environment of that era.

2. Why is R Madhavan’s character compared to Ajit Doval?

Madhavan plays Ajay Sanyal, also known as the Charioteer of Karma. His look, body language, and leadership qualities strongly resemble the style of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The resemblance is intentional and grounded in the way the intelligence ecosystem functions at the highest level.

3. Why does Dhurandhar need two parts instead of one film?

The story covers a heavy timeline, multiple characters, and several operation layers that cannot fit into a regular three hour film. The material demands space, and the director chose two parts to avoid cutting important strategic elements from the narrative. Part two has already been developed, so it is not an afterthought.

4. Why does the trailer show so little of Ranveer Singh’s character?

Ranveer Singh plays the Wrath of God, a character with a mission that forms the central spine of the movie. The creators seem to be hiding his full arc to protect the narrative. This is a deliberate choice to maintain suspense and keep the mission details concealed from early marketing.

5. What makes Dhurandhar visually different from other Indian spy films?

The production used real locations, wide depth of field shots, and practical action choreography. Sets were built across six acres in Thailand to recreate Pakistan. Large portions of the film were shot in Ladakh, Europe, and other real environments. These choices create a grounded look that separates Dhurandhar from glossy commercial spy films.