Veteran actor Anupam Kher has showered praise on Aditya Dhar’s “Dhurandhar,” stating that the film has transcended allegations of being “propaganda.” He described the positive audience response as a “slap” to those who attempted to label it.
In a heartfelt video message shared from abroad, Anupam expressed that despite having no connection to the film, its success brought him an unexpected sense of peace and pride.
“I don’t have a role in this film. I am not connected to anything. But I don’t know why, with the success of this film, my heart is very peaceful. And I have felt peace and pride. I have felt pride. His great success.”
He refrained from discussing the film’s technical aspects and noted that only a handful of films achieve landmark status.
“For example, Godfather was a landmark film. Sholay was a landmark film. Mughal-e-Azam was a landmark film. If I have to include my films… it means they are not landmark films. Because they are not in my mind. I am not making this video as a historian. I am making it as a cinema-goer.”
Anupam highlighted his own films such as Saaransh, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge, A Wednesday, and Khosla Ka Ghosla!, calling them ‘path-breaking films’ for offering new perspectives to cinema-goers.
He commended director Aditya Dhar for steering clear of established patterns or formulas.
“But I like Dhurandar from Aditya Dhar. Not only because he is a Kashmiri. He comes from a family of people who were persecuted. And with his work, he has shown what success is all about. And what courage is all about. Not only because of that. As a filmmaker, he has not followed any pattern or formula. No formula. Just conviction.”
Despite Dhurandar breaking box office records, Anupam emphasized that it’s the “kind of people who are praising this film” that truly matters.
“This proves that there was a clique of people who were behind proving propaganda to the film. This is the same clique who tried to do it to The Kashmir Files. And I say, 30% of them succeeded. They debated. But Dhurandar has slapped such people.”
Anupam added, “He has slapped them. Don’t teach us what propaganda is. You are not going to decide what is a propaganda film. Don’t make us feel small. That is what the audience is saying to people like that.”
He reflected on how attempts to belittle art for selfish purposes ultimately lead to art standing up for itself.
“I am so generously proud and happy about the success of the film, and about the film shutting so many people’s thought processes. Try a lot. And people are calling me from abroad, that you have seen Dhurandar, you have done a great job.”
Calling 2025 a defining year for Aditya Dhar, Kher also acknowledged the success of films featuring Yami Gautam, like Article 370 and Haqq.
“What an amazing journey you had. In fact, this year belongs to you, my friend. Not only because of Dhurandar, but Yami’s films — Article 370, then Haqq. What a thing, my friend. The pages of history. What are the pages of history? Today’s pages are important.”
In the comment section, Aditya Dhar responded, “Wow. This truly means so much, sir. Such pure emotion and generosity in your words… And to be mentioned in the same breath as those films is an honor I do not take lightly at all.”
He added, “The line you said ‘Don’t make us feel small, that is what the audience is saying,’ holds so true in today’s time. It has always been my intention as a filmmaker. Words like these push me to do better. I hope to keep making films that are honest, fearless, and hopefully stand the test of time. Truly overwhelmed right now!”
In the caption section, Anupam expressed a strong urge to “express my happiness over the success of Dhurandar in a completely honest way,” adding that it is “an extremely important film and a powerful emotion.”