Shobhaa De’s off-the-cuff review of Dhurandhar: 'Ranveer Singh chewed up the film'

Author and columnist Shobhaa De has offered an unvarnished, no-holds-barred response to Dhurandhar, cutting through the political noise surrounding the film and delivering a largely glowing review of Aditya Dhar’s ambitious directorial.

Speaking after watching the film in theatres, De described her reaction as entirely instinctive and unmediated. “This is an off-the-cuff review — no narrative, no script, no agenda. Just spontaneous responses to a film,” she said, stressing that she approached Dhurandhar without any ideological filter.

Calling the film “brilliant” and “epic”, De said its three-and-a-half-hour runtime did not deter her in the least. “I didn’t want to miss a moment. I would happily watch it all over again,” she remarked.

De also addressed the intense political debates that have accompanied the film’s release, expressing confusion over the outrage from across ideological lines. “I honestly don’t understand what the controversy is about — the right wing, the left wing. Why can’t you just watch a movie for what it is: a movie?” she asked, dismissing the politicisation of the film as “manipulative” and “utter nonsense”.

Unfazed by criticism or backlash, De made it clear that external reactions would not shape her opinion. “If critics are losing jobs over this or if people want to threaten me, I really don’t care,” she said.

Emphasising that she viewed Dhurandhar purely as a cinematic experience, De added that the film tells a powerful, possibly fictionalised story of a larger-than-life hero. “It’s not about politics. It’s about storytelling. Whoever this character is based on must have been a super, super-duper hero. The film is epic,” she said.

De reserved special praise for Ranveer Singh, applauding the restraint he brought to the role. “He could have easily gone into full swagger mode — added songs, hook steps, romance. But look at the control,” she said, before delivering her most striking verdict: “Ranveer Singh chewed up the entire film.”

While she acknowledged the importance of the female character in the narrative, De admitted the romantic subplot did not leave a strong impression on her. “She was strategically important, but not really a romantic interest — that’s just my personal view,” she noted.

On Akshaye Khanna, De offered a more measured assessment. “I liked him a lot. He’s a superb actor. But perhaps because of the build-up and certain excesses — that one song, that one step — I expected more,” she said.

According to De, the real pillars of Dhurandhar are its director and music. “The director is the star of the film — without that vision, there is no movie,” she said, praising the soundtrack’s blend of choreographed violence, Bhangra rhythms, operatic scores, classic qawwalis and nostalgic popular tracks.

She concluded her review with an unequivocal endorsement: “I love Dhurandhar. Go watch it.”

About the film

Released on December 5, Dhurandhar stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt and Rakesh Bedi. The film has grossed ₹362 crore worldwide so far. A sequel, Dhurandhar 2, is slated for release on March 19, 2026.