The first look of Dhurandhar may have wowed fans with its visuals and Ranveer Singh’s powerful presence, but what followed was a flurry of criticism online — not about the film’s plot or production, but its casting.

Ranveer, who turned 40 this year, is paired opposite 20-year-old Sara Arjun in the film, triggering a wave of social media outrage over Bollywood’s recurring pattern of age-disparate romances. Many pointed out that during the film’s shoot, Sara would have been just 18.


“A 40-year-old romancing a teenager? What is going on in Bollywood?” asked a widely shared comment.

Malayalam moviegoers, who fondly remember Sara as the young girl from ‘Annmariya Kalippilaanu’, were also taken aback. “Can you believe the little girl from Annmariya is now Ranveer Singh’s love interest?” read one post.
 

This controversy comes close on the heels of similar backlash faced by Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life, which cast Kamal Haasan opposite much younger actresses. That debate had prompted public responses from actors Trisha and Abhirami.

Despite the mounting criticism, neither the makers of Dhurandhar nor the actors involved have commented on the issue so far.