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YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has slammed Dhurandhar as “well-made propaganda,” claiming its portrayal of real events makes it more dangerous than other films. Is Bollywood really crossing the line between entertainment and political messaging?
Dhruv Rathee has called Dhurandhar ‘dangerous propaganda’
New Delhi: Content creator and political commentator Dhruv Rathee has released a scathing critique of Aditya Dhar’s recently released film Dhurandhar, calling it “well-made propaganda” and accusing it of spreading falsehoods.
Rathee, who had earlier voiced concerns over the film’s violence and graphic content, released a new video on his YouTube channel on Saturday evening, titled “Reality of Dhurandhar”, further examining the film’s political messaging.
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In his video, Rathee argued that the film’s high production quality makes it more dangerous than poorly made films. “Films like The Taj Story and The Bengal Films were not dangerous because they were badly made. But Dhurandhar is engaging, and well-made propaganda is more dangerous,” he said. Rathee called the film “jhootha and vahiyat” (lies and falsehoods) propaganda, claiming that director Aditya Dhar tried to sell misleading narratives under the guise of cinema.
Rathee dismissed defenders of the film who argue that it is “just a movie.” He noted that Dhurandhar repeatedly claims inspiration from real events, including the 26/11 terror attacks, and incorporates real-life audio recordings of terrorist conversations.
The film also depicts gangsters and cops from Pakistan’s Lyari, which, Rathee argued, lends the story a sense of authenticity that makes it more convincing than typical spy thrillers like Pathaan or the Tiger series.
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“This is why it is dangerous,” he added, emphasizing that audiences may mistake cinematic storytelling for factual representation.
Dhurandhar stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, and Sanjay Dutt, telling the story of an Indian spy infiltrating gangs in Pakistan to dismantle a terror network. Despite the controversy, the film has been a commercial success, grossing nearly ₹800 crore worldwide within just 16 days of its release.
So far, neither Aditya Dhar nor the makers of Dhurandhar have responded to Rathee’s criticism. The video has generated significant discussion online, highlighting the ongoing debate over the influence of cinema and the responsibility of filmmakers when depicting real events.
