Political commentator and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has posted a video claiming that the Hindi blockbuster Dhurandhar contains “subtle propaganda” and risks misleading viewers by mixing fact and fiction.
Dhruv Rathee criticizes Aditya Dhar and Dhurandhar.
Rathee’s remarks intensified the ongoing debate about the film’s themes and presentation as the film continues its strong run at the box office. The spy thriller directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh remains one of the highest grossing Indian films of the year.
In his video, Rathee asked how viewers can tell reality from fiction in a movie, saying, “Now the question is, what’s fact and what’s fiction? The audience can’t tell. And viewers who are immersed in the movie don’t even question it. That’s why it becomes gospel truth for them.” He argued that the use of real-world events alongside a dramatic narrative can leave viewers with a distorted perception of recent history.
Rathee also criticized the film’s depiction of violence and criminal characters. He singled out the character of Rehman Dakait (played by Akshay Khanna), the gangster character in the film, noting, “The film also celebrates violence and gangsters. Rehman Daku was a brutal criminal involved in drugs, guns, extortion, kidnapping and murder. He even killed his own mother. But the film presents him with a cool, viral dance, stylish terrorist?” His comments reflect a broader concern among some viewers about the normalization of violence in mainstream cinema.
Rathee claimed that Dhurandhar mixes elements of other popular films with heavy political messages. “Basically, Dhurandhar takes a gangster film like Gangs of Wasseypur, sets it in Pakistan, adds animal-level violence and sprinkles political propaganda on top. The script is set,” he said, referring to well-known Indian films to contextualize his criticism.
He further said that filmmakers have a responsibility towards the audience: “Art should sensitize people, but filmmakers like Aditya Dhar are desensitizing them. They are mocking their own country. If you really want to watch patriotic films, there are many excellent ones: Prahaar, Border, Raaz, 1971, Sarfarosh, Sam Bahadur, Pippa, Neerja, S.” Rathee used a list of famous patriotic films to compare what he sees as damaging messages in Dhurandhar.
In a striking comparison, Rathee warned the director about the long-term impact of incorporating political messages into cinema. “Finally, I would say this to Aditya Dhar: if you don’t stop putting fake propaganda in your films, your legacy will be the same as Hitler’s favorite filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. And to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I would say this: time never stands still. If one day someone makes a movie like Bhavandar about you, what will happen to your image?”
Rathee also referred to comments made by actor Hrithik Roshan, who acknowledged the strong storytelling in Dhurandhar but expressed disapproval of its political stance. “Hrithik Roshan said that while he doesn’t agree with the politics of the film, and while the responsibility of the filmmakers can be debated, the storytelling was very good and he learned a lot as a student of cinema. Basically what he’s saying is that even if it’s propaganda, the film is well made. But I would say that no matter how well made the film is, it’s still propaganda at the end of the day.”
Rathee placed his criticism in a broader historical and cultural context, comparing modern film propaganda with historical examples. He referenced Nazi filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl and cited criticism from Susan Sontag, noting that well-crafted propaganda can be particularly influential and dangerous. He also claimed that Dhurandhar makes claims about intelligence agencies that mirror real-world allegations refuted by governments, arguing that this blurs the line between fiction and political reporting.
The release of Rathee’s video follows an earlier controversy sparked by his criticism of the film’s trailer, in which he compared graphic violence to extremist content.
While the film divided audiences, Dhurandhar also became the fastest Hindi film to cross ₹500 crore in just 16 days.
Audience reaction to Dhruv Rathee’s video
Reactions to Rathee’s latest statement have so far been largely negative. Many viewers criticized his arguments as unfair or as unintentional promotion of the film.
While one person wrote, “If he has a ‘Hypocrisy ki bhi seema hoti hai’ face,” another person commented, “This man is promoting Dhurandhar Jao Ab Dekho (sic).”
A third user wrote: “Bhai, if the government accepts that they will spy, how will they keep it secret (sic).”
A fourth person commented: “WTF? Hitler’s films were not liked by enemy countries. But DHURANDER is popular and grossing high in Pakistan (sic) too.”
Dhurandhar continues to engage audiences with both critical praise for his technical execution and ongoing public debate about his thematic choices.
