Dhurandhar A Violent Movie with some recent history.

Dhurandhar got my attention as the 2025 highest grossing film for India (since surpassed).  It is a mammoth production with immense production efforts.  Before going any further it must be acknowledged that it is very violent.  It uses historical events, but has wrapped them in fiction. 

It starts with the end of the Kandahar kidnapping in 1999.  The Indian government agreed to free some terrorists and paid a large amount of money.  They felt humiliated, but two discussing officials  said they had no choice and rejected an idea for revenge as the moment was not right.

However, after the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament the same two officials decided to go ahead with an undercover revenge strategy.  We meet Hamza Ali Mazari who looks pretty scruffy and makes his way to Karachi through Afghanistan.  At first he just observes. 

Soon he learns of an impending gang assassination and positions himself  to save the son of gangster Rehman Dakeit who offers him a job with his gang.  They are affiliated with a politician, Jameel Jamli.  Hamza makes an impression with the Jameel's daughter, Yalina who is not turned off when he admits to being a gangster who has done a lot of despicable things.  She is not even discouraged when he revealed he was against her father, Jameel

Hamza is developing trust and his advice is accepted.  He is able to pass on information about an upcoming attack in Mumbai.  He suggests that Jameel should align with him and with his marriage to Yalina  Hamza has solidified his role.  All this has been accompanied by incredible violence and gore.  This film originally was going to be released with more material, but a decision was made to split into two parts and you will have to wait until March to find out more.  

To create the impression this film has, takes a lot of talent.  Here are some of the contributors.    

Aditya Dhar was director, writer and producer.  He is married to one of my favorite actresses, Yami Gautam who must have put up with a lot, while he was working on this film and she has been given an official THANKS in the closing credits.  He has 10 writing credits  2 for directing and 5 for producing, including "Aakrosh" (2010), "Tezz" (2012), "Uri:  The Surgical Strike" (2018), "Article 370" (2024) and "Dhoom Dhaam" (2025).  

Jyoti Despande was another producer.  She has often been put on lists for Today's Most Powerful Woman in Business.  She is the CEO at Viacom 18.  She has 53 credits as producer, including "OMG 2" (2023), "Dunki" (2023), "Article 370" (2024) and "Lapataa Ladies (2024).  See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/04/laapataa-ladies.html

Shashwat Sachdev composed the music.  Although born in India he started his film career in Hollywood before returning to India.  He has 18 composing credits, 8 for the music department and 1 for directing, including "Phillauri" (2017), Uri:  The Surgical Strike" (2018) and "Article 370" (2023).  

Vikash Nowlakha was the cinematographer.  He spent his youth in India, Thailand and Australia.  He received a degree in Eastern Philosophy from the University of Tasmania.  He has 17 cinematography credits, 9 for the camera and electrical department and 3 for directing, including "Black" (2005), "Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year" (2009), "The White Tiger" (2021) and "Lapataa Ladies" (2024).   See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/01/the-white-tiger.html

Shivkumar V. Panicker was the editor and a dialogue writer.  He has 19 editor credits and 3 for the editorial department, including "Kapoor & Sons" (2016),  "Budhia Singh:  Born to Run" (2016)"Uri:  The Surgical Strike" (2018), "Article 370" (2024) and "Dhoom Dhaam" (2025). 

Ranveer Singh played Hamza Ali Mazari, definitely not one of his comic roles.  He got a B.A. from Indiana University in America.  Ranveer worked as a copywriter for ad agencies.  He has 31 acting credits, 2 for the music department and 1 for producing including "Band Baaja Baaraat" (2010), "Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl" (2011), "Dil Dhadakne Do" (2015), "Bajirao Mastani" (2015) and "Gully Boy" (2019).  

 Akshaye Khanna played the gangster Rehman Dakeit.  He has 46 acting credits, including "Taal" (1999), "Dil Chahta Hai" (2001), "Gandhi, My Father" (2007), "Ittefaq" (2007), "Race" (2008), "Mom" (2017), "Drishyam 2" (2022) and "Chhavva" (2025).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/07/dil-chatha-hai-bollywood-classic.html      See also http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/02/drishyam-2-signifies-new-global-movie.html

 Sanjay Dutt played another gangster boss.  In reality he has spent time in jail and been called a terrorist but cleared in 2016.  He has had his own biopic done with the film "Sanju" (2018) in which he appeared in a cameo where he did a dance routine with Ranbir Kapoor who portrayed him in the film.  Sanjay has played many tough guys, but also comic roles .  He has 179 acting credits, 16 for the music department and 4 for producing, including "Munna Bhai M.B.B.S Bhai " (2003), "Parineeti" (2005),  "Lago Raho Munna Bhai" (2006), "Agneepath" (2012), "PK" (2014), "Tobaaz" (2020) and "Toolsidas Junior" (2022).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/03/pk.html

"Arjun Rampal" played Major Iqbal.  He was a model.  Arjun has 65 acting credits including "Don" (2006), "Aamir" (2008), "We Are Family" (2010), "Rock On" (2011), "Inkaar" (2013), "D-Day" (2013) and "Kahanni 2" (2016).

Madhavan plays Ajay Sanyal, an IB officer.  At age 18 his college entrusted him as cultural ambassador to Canada representing India.  He had won national public speaking awards and is fluent in English, Hindi and Tamil.  He has appeared in such other films as "Rang de Basanti" (2006), "Guru" (2007) and "3 Idiots" (2009) which were all exceptional movies.   Another film was the American, "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" (2012).  In "Test" (2025)he played a cricket gambler.  My first awareness of him was with "Kannathil Mutthamthal" (A Peck on the Cheek) (2002), but I assumed it was a Bollywood film and much later learned it was a Tamil film, opening another door for me. See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/11/dhokha.html                       

Sara Arjun played Yalina.  She was involved in tv. commercials as young as 1 1/2 and became a child actress in Hindu, Tamil, Telegu and Malaylam films. Sara has 27 acting credits including "Sillu Karuppatti" (2019), "Ajeeb Daastaans" (2021), "Ponniyn Selvan:  Part 1" (2022), "Toolsidas Junior" (2022) and "Ponniyin Selvan Part 2" (2023).

Rakesh Bedi played Jameel Jamli.  He hosted a science program on tv.  He has 337 acting credits including "Yes Boss" (1997) and "Uri:  The Surgical Strike" (2018).

This is truly a violent movie with some historical interest and over 3 hours long.  If you can accept that, I recommend it.  Available on Netflix, subtitled and  dubbed.  

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  They are not necessarily a recommendation, but generally these are among my favorites.  If you follow the links you should be better able to determine if a particular film is worth following up.

"PK", a religious satire

If you are wondering what PK means it is a common Hindi reference to someone who is drunk.  We tend to dismiss the babblings of inebriated individuals, but the movie is trying to point out that wisdom can come from strange places--a young innocent child, an alien or maybe even someone intoxicated.

Bollywood has produced a masterpiece of satire.  If Aamir Khan is in it you know it has to have a serious point made more pointed with humour.  When he is paired up with director-writer Rajkumar Hirani you can be sure of some clever dialogue.

Many people look down upon fantasy and science fiction because they are not "real."  However by exaggerating something or changing the context it is possible to appreciate something deeper.

India, more than anywhere else is the ideal country to make points about religion  They have more Hindus, more Muslims, more Sikhs, more Parsis and even more Christians than many whole nations. They also have a multitude of sects and other religions.  It is easy to offend, but also normal to tolerate.

An alien, played by Aamir Khan (with some supernatural ability to read minds through physical contact) is stranded on earth and at first understands very little, but eventually comes to believe he needs to find God to get back home.  Of course this leads to a lot of confusion.  He learns of deception and corruption.  At one point he contends that people are getting the "wrong number."  A later conclusion is that there are really two Gods--the real one who created us and the false one conjured by men, often for their own benefit.

There is a little romance in the story, but it doesn't turn out quite the way you might suppose, however it does tie in well with the story.  The music is appropriate and pleasant, by Atul Gogavale and Shantanu Moitra.

Aamir Khan is renowned as a perfectionist and that is on full display.  Anushka Sharma is earning more respect after many roles as bubbly young girls.  In a more recent film, "NH10" she plays a different type of demanding role.  Sanjay Dutt has a small supporting role and I understand that he saw the film while serving time in jail.  Boman Irani plays another supporting role and adds as usual to the credibility.  Sushant Singh Rajput plays a significant cameo while Ranbir Kapoor is just a flash near the end.

More on Anushka Sharma:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/05/anuska-sharma-actess-on-rise.html

Rajkumar Hirani, the director and writer has put out a number of top notch films.  "3 Idiots" is another masterpiece and one of my favorite Bollywood comedies, "Lage Raho Munna" where he uses the ghost of Gandhi to make some points.

Produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra who produced and helped write nother masterpiece, " 3 Idiots" (2003)
This is my second movie of the year with a religious theme.  The other one was perhaps better, only because it was simpler and not so pointed.  "Spring, summer, fall, winter...and spring" from Korea.  Together I would have to say they are my two favorite movies of the year so far.

Gandhi--a life long fascination

Perhaps a few of my readers have not guessed my age, but I am going to reveal it now to help explain why I feel a special relationship with Mohandas Gandhi.  I was born on the same day that he was assassinated January 29th, 1948 in eastern standard time zone when it was already January 30th in India.  When this was discovered I was at a very impressionable age.  All that pre disposed me to explore all sorts of things Indian such as books, Indian food, Hindu philosophy, music and lately Bollywood, this last with some help from my sister Rebecca.

I discovered Gandhi as an elementary student always fascinated by odd things  at the library.  Gandhi was unique.  He wasn't a warrior yet he had helped free India.  I read all sorts of books about him as a child and a young man and along the way discovered the date connection.  Gandhi led a life that is hard to imagine.  He was educated and a successful lawyer, but decided on an austere path personally and as part of campaign to gain independence for India.

Many think of Gandhi as a saint, but he was far from perfect.  He was consciously aware of many of his faults and perhaps because of that could understand others better.  He was obsessed with diet, bodily functions and sex.

Below are some movies and books that have colored my thinking.

"Gandhi" came out in 1982 with an all star cast and introduced Ben Kingsley to play Gandhi.  A lot of dramatic action including his assassination at the movie's beginning,  a horse charge on Indian protesters, Amritsar massacre, beatings and the violence of partition.  This movie deals a lot with the political machinations. One remembered point is that Gandhi declared although he believed in non violence, he didn't believe in being passive.  Civil disobedience is his real strategy.

"Water" barely mentions Gandhi, but I wanted to review it again as it has a Canadian writer/director, Deepa Mehta.  The main focus is on the treatment of widows.  They have three choices: go to a fiery death with their husband, live an essentially chaste and dehumanizing life or if family permits marry a younger brother of her husband.  The law was changed, but customs are much harder to change.  Gandhi was against child marriages.  John Abraham, who later became a bigger star had a major role playing a disciple of Gandhi. Near the end of the movie we see Gandhi at a train station he is passing through after being released from jail.  Paraphrasing he says "For a long time I thought God was truth, but now I know Truth is God."

"Hey Ram" was my introduction to Kamal Hassan who wrote, directed, produced and starred.  He brought in some big Bollywood stars in Shah Rukh Khan (playing a secular Muslim) and Rani Mukerji.  It brings to light  the religious hatred between Muslim and Hindu just waiting for something to ignite. Gandhi angered many Hindus who felt he was trying too hard to placate Muslims.  Gandhi is played by Nasseruddin Shah, another actor I have come to respect.  Hema Malini was one of the few star Bollywood actresses who made movies after having children.  She also became a politician.

"Lage Raho Munna Bhai" might actually offend some people as it takes a humorous slant on Gandhi. Not to be disrespectful, but humor can often make a point that escapes serious discussion.  In this romance, Sanjay Dutt plays a gangster who takes a fancy to Vidya Balan, a radio announcer.  He lies and manipulates to impress her that he is a Gandhi expert.  Magically the ghost of Gandhi appears and is willing to help him win the girl, but has one request; that Sanjay "live truthfully."  As Sanjay courts Vidya he has a type of conversion and you see a number of situations where he helps people in awkward, even tragic situations overcome their difficulties applying Gandhian principles.  I would say persistence and innovation in civil disobedience can be very helpful.  A memorable quote from Boman Irani--"his ways don't work today" and later he succumbs to a Gandhian strategy.

"The Road to Sangam" depicts a story long after the death of Gandhi.   Part of his ashes that had been divided to be spread to different regions of India had been forgotten.  In an effort to duplicate the original intentions a Muslim mechanic has been asked to restore the engine that was in the original car to drive the ashes to Sangam.  At this time the mechanic is under stress due to Muslim-Hindu conflicts.  Muslim organizers want to have a strike to demonstrate their determination.  The mechanic feels trapped as he had already promised to fix this engine.  He realized that Gandhi was a friend of Muslims and the reason for the independence of India.  I had seen  Paresh Rawal in numerous roles, usually supporting, but very diversified.  I can better appreciate him as he was given the major role in this film and put in a very subtle performance.  The lessons of Gandhi are brought out by the mechanic who realizes that Gandhi was above religion.  The mechanic is attacked physically, but eventually wins over many of his fellow Muslims.

Watching "Gandhi, My Father"  I was surprised at the involvement of Anil Kapoor as producer and Askaye Khanna as lead actor in such a serious and controversial film.  Controversial  as many Indians felt it disrespectful to depict Gandhi as anything but saintly.   Despite being well educated himself, Gandhi actively discouraged his four children (and other relatives) from formal education.  His eldest son, Harilal wanted to be a barrister like his father, but Gandhi thought he would serve the cause better without university.  Harlilal became an alcoholic. One quote from Jan Smuts, Gandhi "is a politician trying to be a saint."

Reading "Gandhi, The True Man Behind Modern India" by Jad Adams   Gandhi was seeking spiritual perfection and often overlooked the needs of those dependent on him. At one time he believed meat gives strength, but was a vegetarian and involved with vegetarian issues.  Like many powerful men he had a strong sex drive, but felt that was in the way of spiritual perfection.  His four sons and his wife were not given any favoritism and were expected to live to high standards.  Obsessed with bowel movements and enemas and sexual abstinence.

One last book I stumbled on while working on this post, "Gandhi and the Unspeakable" by James Douglas.   One emphasis was that Gandhi was aware of many Indians who preferred violence to throw out the British.  Assassinations occurred close to him.  In 1909 he talked and argued with Savarker in London, even as Savarker was planning an assassination in India.  He seemed to have some respect for those willing to die, but thought they were misguided.  Savarkar was a revered leader to Nathuram Godse, who also had confronted Gandhi several times.  The underlying problem was a prejudice against Muslims who Gandhi was trying to reconcile with the Hindus.  The British controlled India by a divide and rule campaign and that thinking permeated the partition process.  Savarker the mastermind escaped a conviction, but apparently wrote a nine hour speech for Godse.

Satyagraha is a word coined by Gandhi shaming some one by setting a moral example.  Protesting was done assuming they would be beaten.  In some of the movies it was very scary and I can appreciate it takes more courage than attacking someone even as you realize they might attack back.  Gandhi was not a pacifist, he was very proactive.

In conclusion I realize my boyhood admiration overlooked details inaccessible to me at the time.  Gandhi had a very strong will and a desire to reach spiritual purity.  He accomplished some important things and and in some ways set a good example--there are other ways to prevail besides violence.  I still admire Gandhi and am grateful that I have also discovered more of a most fascinating country, India.