‘Ranveer Singh at all-time low, Aditya Dhar had 1 film’: Sanjay Gupta weighs in on the Rs 300 crore gamble behind ‘Dhurandhar’

Even though ‘Dhurandhar’ first hit theaters in December last year, the film continues to dominate conversations, and for good reason. From its ambitious scale and gripping storytelling to filmmaker Aditya Dhar's obsessive attention to detail across both Part 1 and Part 2, the film has completely fascinated audiences. The nearly eight-hour-long franchise has reportedly grossed over Rs 3000 crore worldwide, a stunning feat considering it was made on a budget of around Rs 300 crore. Those within the industry believe the film's extraordinary success resulted not just from Aditya's remarkable vision, but also from his deep love for and influence by the cinema of the 80s and 90s.Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta recently discussed Dhar's unique filmmaking approach and the enormous risk involved in making ‘Dhurandhar’ during an appearance on the InControversial Podcast. Reflecting on what makes Aditya stand out as a filmmaker, Gupta said, “It is very evident that Aditya Dhar is inspired by filmmakers of the 80s and 90s. I can clearly see those influences and that style of world-building. There is no doubt that Aditya Dhar is an exceptionally intelligent filmmaker. But having said that, he spent four years trying to put this project together. That’s how difficult it is, irrespective of whether your last film was a hit or not”.The veteran filmmaker also expressed his admiration for Aditya's bold decision to split the story into two parts while keeping the cinematic experience seamless and engaging throughout. “Even we make films and write scripts, and I don’t believe he never intended to make a eight-hour story. But the way they contained it and structured it is fantastic,” he said.Gupta went on to heap praise on Dhar's work ethic and execution, marveling at how efficiently such a massive project was brought together. He said, “In the last few days, Aditya posted emotional notes for his cinematographer and editor on Instagram. In the note for the editor, he thanked him for supporting the decision to make it a two-part film and shaping it so beautifully. He is exceptional. The other day, Rakesh Bedi told me that Aditya shot for 150 days and ended up making an eight-hour film. That is incredible. He has set a completely new benchmark.”After the huge success of ‘Uri’, Aditya went quiet for a while, and things worsened when his ambitious project The Immortal Ashwatthama was shelved. But in 2023, he surprised everyone by announcing ‘Dhurandhar’, starring Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna, and Sanjay Dutt. The film turned out to be a massive success, with both parts reportedly crossing Rs 3000 crore worldwide combined.