Entertainment

Ranveer Singh Unleashes Spy Fury in Gritty ‘Dhurandhar’ Teaser

Aditya Dhar’s new espionage thriller hints at Ajit Doval inspiration, with a bruised Ranveer Singh leading a deadly cast

Mumbai, July 6: There’s something fitting—almost poetic—about Ranveer Singh choosing his 40th birthday to drop the teaser for “Dhurandhar”. Not a birthday bash, not a cutesy Instagram post with Deepika, but a two-and-a-half-minute sledgehammer of a spy thriller that looks like it could rip open the fabric of Bollywood’s comfort zone.

Directed, written, and produced by Aditya Dhar, the man behind Uri, Dhurandhar wastes no time making its point. The teaser is blood, grit, and whispers of revenge stitched together with roaring Punjabi rap. Singh is nearly unrecognizable—hair wild, beard thick, eyes like they’ve seen war. There’s no flashy suit or romantic monologue. He looks like he’s been through hell and came back without asking for permission.

Singh’s Transformation Signals A New Chapter

You don’t need a press release to tell you that Singh’s stepping into darker territory. It’s in every frame. This isn’t the quirky boy from Band Baaja Baaraat or the poetic soul of Lootera. This is a man on the edge. Some are already guessing he’s playing a younger version of Ajit Doval, India’s legendary NSA. The filmmakers haven’t said so, not yet, but the clues are loud.

Even louder? R. Madhavan’s transformation. Glasses, salt-and-pepper hair, the quiet intensity of a man who moves chess pieces, not fists. Twitter, Reddit, X—whatever we’re calling it this week—is convinced he is Doval. And honestly? They might be right. As per Economic Times, the resemblance isn’t subtle. Madhavan doesn’t just look like Doval. He moves like him.

An Ensemble That Doesn’t Feel Like Background Noise

Then there’s the rest of the cast—Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna. Each one with enough screen presence to hijack a scene, even in silence. Khanna, in particular, is playing the antagonist, and if the teaser’s glimpse is anything to go by, he’s not shouting or snarling. He’s calculating. A quiet menace that creeps in slowly.

This isn’t one of those thrillers where the villain twirls a mustache and throws a punch. This looks more cerebral, more personal.

But There’s Already One Bump In The Buzz

The internet, of course, found its problem. And it’s not the politics or the body count—it’s the potential romance. Sara Arjun, 20, is part of the film. She’s rumoured to be paired opposite Singh. And well, people noticed the 20-year age gap. It doesn’t sit right, especially with a younger actress still early in her career. One Reddit user summed it up harshly: “He looks more like her uncle.” It’s the kind of casting choice Bollywood keeps making, even when audiences keep calling it out.

To be fair, the teaser doesn’t spell out their dynamic. But the unease is real. And in a film already steeped in masculinity and war, this feels like a misstep.

Is Aditya Dhar Building Something Bigger?

Aditya Dhar isn’t trying to make a regular movie. That much is clear. Dhurandhar looks like part of a bigger plan—a long game rooted in modern Indian heroism, with enough real-world weight to feel dangerous. With Uri, he turned a military strike into a box office triumph. With this, he’s circling something even more volatile: espionage during Indo-Pak tensions in the 1970s, a period that still echoes in headlines.

The music is urgent. The colour palette is dust and fire. And the tension—oh, it’s thick. Singh limps through alleys, stares down enemies, and speaks more through silence than dialogue. That’s new for him. And refreshing.

A December Release With High Stakes

“Dhurandhar” drops on December 5, giving Dhar five months to ride the wave of speculation, leaks, and possibly even political reactions. If the film is half as bold as the teaser, it could spark debates as much as ticket sales. But that also means the pressure is sky-high. Spy thrillers aren’t new—but spy thrillers that flirt this closely with real figures and real history? That’s a risky dance.

And Dhar seems ready to dance. Whether or not Ranveer Singh is actually playing Doval may not matter in the end. What matters is that he’s finally broken out of the over-styled cages filmmakers built for him. He’s bruised, brutal, and—at least for now—believable.

If Dhurandhar sticks the landing, it might just be Singh’s career redefined. If it doesn’t, well… no one can say it played it safe.


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Author Profile
Sneha Kashyap
Reporting Fellow at 

Sneha Kashyap is a Reporting Fellow at Hindustan Herald, specializing in the vibrant world of entertainment and contemporary lifestyle trends. A student at GGSIPU, Delhi, Sneha brings a fresh perspective and a keen eye for cultural narratives to her daily reporting. She is dedicated to exploring the latest in film, music, fashion, and social phenomena, offering readers insightful and engaging content.

Source
Indian Express Economic TimesHindustan TimesNDTVTimes of India

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