‘When one visionary inspires another...’: Ram Gopal Varma heaps praise on Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’

Mumbai: Veteran director Ram Gopal Varma recently took to social media to pen a glowing note about Aditya Dhar’s latest directorial venture, ‘Dhurandhar’, describing it as a “quantum leap in Indian cinema.”

Praising Dhar for redefining cinematic storytelling, Varma wrote that the film goes far beyond scale, offering a vision that operates as much on the mind as on the screen. According to him, “What Dhurandhar achieves is not just scale, but a never before experienced vision not just in sight but in the mind . Aditya Dhar doesn’t direct scenes here… he engineers the states of minds of both the characters and us audience. From the very first shot,there’s a sense that something irreversible has been set in motion, and the audience is no longer a spectator but an accomplice to the happenings on screen.”

Varma lauded nearly every aspect of the film, from its storytelling, sound design, camera work, and choreography to its impactful sequences and performances, which he said were “designed to linger long.” In a powerful endorsement, he added that ‘Dhurandhar’ leaves audiences not just entertained but transformed, calling it the work of a filmmaker who is reshaping the foundation of Indian cinema itself.

The admiration was soon met with an equally moving response. Aditya Dhar replied with a heartfelt message, expressing deep gratitude and acknowledging Varma as one of his greatest influences. Calling RGV one of his favourite directors, Dhar credited him with making Indian cinema “fearless, impolite, and alive.”

Recalling his early days in Mumbai, Dhar wrote, “I came to Mumbai years ago carrying one suitcase, one dream, and an unreasonable belief that I would one day work under Ram Gopal Verma. That never happened. But somewhere along the way, without knowing it, I worked inside your cinema.”

He noted that RGV’s films didn’t just teach him how to make movies, but how to “think dangerously,” adding that if Dhurandhar carries even a trace of that DNA, it is because Varma’s work echoed in his mind throughout the writing and directing process.

Ram Gopal Varma continued to engage with the filmmaker on X, responding with continued praise. “This is exactly why cinema moves forward, when one visionary inspires another to go even further. You didn’t work inside my cinema. You outgrew it. And that’s how it should be,” he said.

Paresh Rawal thanks Ram Gopal Varma for his review

Veteran actor Paresh Rawal also pitched in, expressing appreciation for Varma’s review, to which the ‘Satya’ director repled saying, “Sirrrr every once in a while the industry needs a shot in the arm and @AdityaDharFilms STABBED IT.”

The exchange stood out as a meaningful dialogue between two filmmakers united by their passion for bold, uncompromising storytelling.

Meanwhile, ‘Dhurandhar’ continues its successful run in theatres, shattering records and earning widespread acclaim from audiences and celebrities alike. The film stars Ranveer Singh in the lead, alongside Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, and R Madhavan.