Ram Gopal Varma calls out ‘Dhurandhar 2’ over Dawood Ibrahim portrayal despite high praise

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who has been vocal in his admiration for Dhurandhar 2, has now pointed out what he describes as his only disagreement with the film — the depiction of Dawood Ibrahim.

Varma had earlier praised the film extensively on social media, calling it one of the most impactful films after Sholay and describing director Aditya Dhar as his “new guru”. He had also compared the film’s influence on his own thinking to that of his own cult classic Satya.

However, in a recent conversation with writer Hussain Zaidi on a YouTube channel, Varma said that while he admired the film’s craft, he had reservations about how Dawood Ibrahim has been portrayed.

In the film, Dawood Ibrahim is referred to as “Bade Sahab” and is shown as a central figure orchestrating terror operations linked to Pakistan and activities in India.

Commenting on this, Varma said he believes the depiction may not be accurate. “The only element I disagree with is the portrayal of Dawood Ibrahim. They might have their own sources, but I think it is being shown incorrectly,” he said.

The filmmaker clarified that he was not making a definitive claim but was speaking based on his own understanding. “It’s not like I can say this with authority, but it doesn’t align with what I know,” he added.

Varma also noted that the nature of such subjects makes it difficult to establish absolute truth. According to him, neither filmmakers nor critics can conclusively prove or disprove such portrayals.

“We all think the film has shown something, but I can’t disprove it, and the director can’t prove it either,” he said.

He further stated that he has heard over the years that Dawood Ibrahim has been inactive and unwell, adding that, in his view, the gangster may have stepped away from criminal activities long ago.

Dhurandhar 2 has reported strong box office performance, with global earnings pegged at over ₹1,700 crore. The film features a cast including Ranveer Singh, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun and Gaurav Gera.

Together, the two films in the Dhurandhar franchise have reportedly crossed ₹3,000 crore at the global box office.

Dawood Ibrahim is one of the accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts and has been linked to various organised crime activities over the years.

The Mumbai underworld has also served as inspiration for several Hindi films, including Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya and Company, which explored crime networks and their influence.