Aditya Dhar reveals the ‘soul’ of Dhurandhar: ‘This film carries his imprint forever’

Filmmaker Aditya Dhar penned a long note, introducing the 'soul' of his blockbuster, Dhurandhar. As Dhurandhar: The Revenge is about to hit the ₹1,000 crore mark in India, Dhar heaped praises on cinematographer Vikash Nowlakha.

Aditya Dhar reveals Dhurandhar cinematographer

On Sunday, Aditya Dhar took to social media and dropped several unseen, behind-the-scenes pictures, featuring Vikash Nowlakha behind the camera. Sharing the photos, Dhar wrote, "Here’s to Vikash Nowlakha, the eye, the instinct, and the soul behind Dhurandhar. He was the last HOD to come on board Dhurandhar. Just a few days before we began. And knowing how deeply selective he is, that timing meant everything. It felt less like onboarding a cinematographer, and more like destiny quietly stepping in at the right moment."

"I still remember what he said after reading the script, “I’ve waited 30 years to do a film like this. I’ll give my life to it.” And he meant every word. What followed was not just work, it was devotion. Through impossible schedules, through chaos that often felt unmanageable, through shooting what was essentially two films in the time and cost of one Vikash stood at the center of it all, steady and relentless," he added.

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“What makes Dhurandhar cinematographer different”

Recalling how Nowlakha held onto his responsibility during the film across locations, Dhar said, "Carrying the weight of the film quite literally on his shoulders, pushing through the burning heat of Amritsar and the harsh cold of Leh, he never once let the vision falter. But what makes Vikash truly rare is not just his endurance, it’s the soul in his gaze. His eye for detail, his emotional intelligence behind the lens, his ability to understand not just what a scene looks like, but what it feels like, that is where his genius lies. Every frame in Dhurandhar breathes because he allowed it to. He didn’t just capture moments, he gave them life.

“His inputs on set were never loud, but always precise. Always truthful. Always elevating the film. There are many who shoot films. Vikash lived this one. And in doing so, he has given Dhurandhar something that cannot be manufactured, a soul. I feel immense gratitude, respect, and affection for the artist he is, and the human being he brought into this journey. This film carries his imprint forever. And I know this is only the beginning, the stories we will tell together from here on will go even further, shine even brighter, and create something truly timeless.”

About Dhurandhar

Set in Lyari, Karachi, an area known for gang wars and violent turf battles, Dhurandhar revolved around an Indian undercover agent who is sent to infiltrate the Pakistani criminal syndicates and underworld, against the backdrop of real geopolitical and terror events like the Kandahar plane hijack, the 2001 Parliament Attack and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, among others.

Dhurandhar stars

The film stars Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera, Danish Pandor, and Manav Gohil.