Veteran filmmaker Sudhir Mishra has come out strongly in support of Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller Dhurandhar amid heated online debate that labelled the film as “propaganda.” Mishra praised the film’s craft, performances and immersive quality, pushing back against critics and urging cinema-goers to recognise the filmmaking skill on display in one of Bollywood’s biggest releases of the year.
Sudhir Mishra DEFENDS Dhurandhar amid propaganda claims, calls it a “well-made film”
Since its release in December 2025, Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt and Sara Arjun, has been a major commercial success and has become one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 2025. The film — the first instalment in a planned two-part espionage franchise — mixes fictional narrative with references to real-world events, prompting some viewers to label it as a work of political propaganda.
Responding to a social media thread on X (formerly Twitter) in late December 2025, Mishra acknowledged that his own style of cinema differs but emphasised that this should not undermine the technical and artistic merit of Dhurandhar. “By the way Dhurandhar is a well-made film. Aditya Dhar is extremely skilled. The acting is terrific,” Mishra wrote, praising the director’s craft and the film’s ensemble cast.
“The most difficult thing in filmmaking is a director’s ability to make the audience ‘smell the place,’ and Aditya Dhar, with the help of his brilliant cinematographer and production designer, manage to do just that. The casting, including the minor parts, is bang on. I am, of course, a filmmaker from another school.”
One of us has the guts . There is a film . You’ll see it soon . Also please stop lumping us all under one brand , called Bollywood. We belong to the Indian Film Industry and we are all different. By the way Dhurandhar is a well made film . Aditya Dhar is extremely skilled . The… https://t.co/I6Kx2rkKba
— Sudhir Mishra (@IAmSudhirMishra) December 31, 2025
Mishra also pushed back against sweeping characterisations of filmmakers and the industry, noting: “Also please stop lumping us all under one brand, called Bollywood. We belong to the Indian film industry and we are all different.”
When another user directly accused the film of being “propaganda… with an evil intent to monetise on pop nationalism & sectarian mindset,” Mishra offered a measured response: “Make a powerful film, with all the virtues of a great cinema experience which counters it.” His reply underscored his view that artistic discourse should be grounded in cinema itself rather than online polemics.
Dhurandhar continues its box-office run as anticipation builds for the sequel, scheduled for release on March 19, 2026.
Also Read: Dhurandhar declared tax-free in Ladakh amid successful box-office run
More Pages: Dhurandhar Box Office Collection , Dhurandhar Movie Review
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