Shashi Tharoor calls Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar’ a propaganda film: ‘I think Pakistanis will realise how much wrong has been done in their name’

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has shared his views on Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ franchise after watching both instalments, which released in December 2025 and March 2026, respectively. While the Ranveer Singh-led films have emerged as major commercial successes, they have also drawn mixed reactions, with some viewers accusing them of promoting propaganda. Tharoor acknowledged the political messaging in the films but praised their storytelling, plot twists and cinematic execution, describing the latter as “brilliant.”In a video shared on his official YouTube channel, Tharoor said he enjoyed the second instalment more than the first. “As a work of fiction, as a work of entertainment, there is no doubt that the second part is superb,” he said. However, he was critical of the graphic violence depicted in the films, calling it “totally excessive and over the top.”“There was no need to show so much violence, blood, mayhem, cruelty and some of the most disgusting scenes ever seen in Indian cinema,” he added.Addressing the criticism that ‘Dhurandhar’ promotes propaganda, Tharoor acknowledged that the films contain elements of political messaging. He also referred to reports of the films being banned in several countries, including Pakistan and some Gulf nations.“There is a lot of propaganda stuff built into it obviously and I gather the film has been banned in many countries, not just in Pakistan, but many of the Gulf countries have banned it, saying it would needlessly create bad blood between Indians and Pakistanis, so I can understand those feelings.”Tharoor also reflected on how audiences in Pakistan might respond to the films, saying, “I don’t know how Pakistanis will react if they see this. Some of the lines, I think Pakistanis will laugh. Some of the other things, I think Pakistanis will realise how much wrong has been done in their name.”Since the franchise revolves around an undercover intelligence operative, Tharoor also compared the film’s portrayal of intelligence work with his own interactions with officials in the field. While he said he had dealt with several intelligence personnel, his experience had been considerably different from the cloak-and-dagger operations depicted on screen.“I have dealt with a lot of our intelligence people but in a very civilised way, having analysis, conversations, information exchanges but not really getting into any cloak and dagger stuff. I am certainly not aware of commands being given that lead to explosions in faraway capitals. That’s not the world I have ever lived in,” he said.The Congress MP also discussed R Madhavan’s character in the films, which is loosely based on National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Tharoor questioned the plausibility of one person remaining in the same position from the late 1990s to the present, pointing out that such continuity would be unlikely in a bureaucracy. However, he understood why the filmmakers might have chosen to retain the same character to carry the story forward.“I think it would be too much of a stretch to assume that’s true. So I would see this as a fictional film that tells a story which obviously is meant to impart a certain sense of lessons as well,” he said.Despite his reservations about the violence and political messaging, Tharoor had considerable praise for the franchise’s filmmaking. He described both films as “vividly made” and said they were “bound to have an impact on anyone who has an imagination or a mind.” He also appreciated the “competent acting” and “superb sort of sets, design, direction.”Summing up his experience of watching the two films, Tharoor concluded, “At the end of 8 hours, you feel you have been through a major cinematic experience.”The ‘Dhurandhar’ franchise has collectively earned over Rs 3,100 crore worldwide. Alongside Ranveer Singh, the two films feature Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun and R Madhavan in key roles.