Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has described the blockbuster “Dhurandhar” as a game-changer that the Indian film industry cannot ignore. He emphasized that it is a film for all those makers who believed in “VFX-ridden, expensive sets, item song-ridden and the Hero worship template.”
Industry Response to “Dhurandhar”
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, RGV wrote: “Whenever a path-breaking and monstrous hit like #Dhurandhar comes, the industry people will wish to ignore it because they will feel threatened by it due to their inability to match its standards. So they will think of it as a nightmare, which will vanish when they wake up in their own films.”
He noted that this sentiment is particularly true for all the “so-called Pan-India biggies” currently in various stages of production. “They were all written and mounted, modelled on the films made before #Dhurandhar, which is the exact opposite of what they all believed will work. What’s even more worrisome is that #Dhurandhar, apart from being an omega hit, is also the most discussed film since the last 50 years.”
Dhurandhar: A Scary Presence
Varma likened the film to a “large, scary dog” that everyone notices, even if they try to ignore it. He added: “Every one of us has experienced an incident like going to visit someone’s house and seeing a large, scary-looking dog that keeps staring at us. In spite of the owner assuring us it’s harmless and advising us to ignore it, the tension will remain and keep growing.”
He mentioned that Dhurandhar will be like that “monstrous dog” invisibly pacing around in every production office where upcoming biggies are being made. “They will try their level best to even avoid uttering the dog’s name, but it will keep loitering in all their minds.”
A Shift in Filmmaking Standards
Unlike formulaic, VFX-heavy, star-driven masala films, Dhurandhar has garnered acclaim for its story and craft rather than just its star power. Varma stated it will be a “horror” film for those still adhering to the “hero worship template.”
“To that extent, #Dhurandhar will actually be like a HORROR film for all those makers who believed in the earlier template of VFX-ridden, expensive sets, item song-ridden and the Hero worship template.”
He believes that with the film being worshipped instead of the star, filmmakers will be getting crucified in their self-created dungeon of masala films. “But no matter how much they wish the dog won’t go away, it will be here to bite whenever their next film releases.”
Varma is confident that Aditya Dhar Films has effectively held up a mirror to the industry, compelling filmmakers to rethink their approach and measure their work against the cinematic standards set by Dhurandhar.