Dhurandhar 2 review: A bold and gripping sequel that tackles terrorism, systemic failure, and delivers powerful performances, despite its long runtime and political undertones.
Released on March 19, 2026, Dhurandhar 2 or Dhurandhar: The Revenge comes with massive expectations after the first film became a major success both critically and commercially. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the sequel attempts something far more ambitious. Instead of simply continuing the story, it expands the scale, deepens the themes, and pushes into territory that mainstream Bollywood has largely avoided for decades. With a runtime of nearly 3 hours and 49 minutes and heavy pre-release hype, the film had everything to lose. But surprisingly, it doesn’t collapse under its ambition. If anything, it emerges as a rare sequel that not only lives up to expectations but, in many ways, kind of surpasses the original.
Read our review of original Dhurandhar here.
Direction: Aditya Dhar’s Fearless Vision
Aditya Dhar does not play safe here. That’s the biggest takeaway.
Most Bollywood sequels try to replicate the formula of the first film. Dhurandhar 2 does the opposite. It expands the narrative, increases the intensity, and most importantly, it takes risks.
The film doesn’t just show terrorism as an external threat. It digs deeper into the system that allows such situations to exist, exposing how it is allowed and supported by corrupt organizations and individuals. Over the years, Bollywood has only showed terrorism as an external threat, but has avoided showing how even internal threats are involved in it.
The film also addresses other themes such as how justice is often denied for the common people, and institutional failures.
This is not filmmaking designed to please everyone. It’s filmmaking that wants to say something uncomfortable.
Even critics and early reactions have praised Dhar’s vision, especially the way he blends action, emotion, and political undertones into one cohesive narrative.
Story & Themes: Truth Bombs Bollywood Avoids
This is where the film separates itself. Dhurandhar 2 drops harsh truth bombs that mainstream Bollywood has avoided for years. It doesn’t sugarcoat terrorism nor does it turn it into a simplistic comic styled good vs evil narrative.
Instead, it explores why and how people are pushed into terrorism and how they are brainwashed and funded.
This is why critics and early viewers have repeatedly praised the film’s grounded and realistic storytelling, calling it gripping and emotionally powerful.
And honestly, they are right. Very few films have tackled terrorism with this level of honesty and directness.
Runtime & Pacing: Long, But Never Boring
Let’s address the elephant in the room. The film is nearly 4 hours long.
Normally, that would kill the experience. But surprisingly, it doesn’t.
Despite its length, the film remains consistently engaging, and packed with events. Something is always going on, and therefore you never feel bored.In fact, you will be surprised when the film ends, and it might not even feel that long, because the pacing is quite intense.
Even early audience reactions confirm that the film is “thoroughly engaging” despite its heavy runtime. There is always something interesting happening, which is why the film never feels like it’s dragging just for the sake of length. In fact, the film actually feels short at times as the events of over 20 years has been packed into a nearly 4 hour film.
Another major strength is how it connects with historical events. These moments don’t feel forced. They add depth and realism, making the story feel larger and more grounded.
Political Undertones: Bold, But Divisive
This is where the film can become slightly controversial. There are clear political tones throughout the film. Some dialogues and themes can definitely annoy or divide viewers.
Many viewers are choosing not to comment on the politics at all, while few are openly debating it.
But here’s the key point. If you ignore the political layer and focus purely on storytelling, the film is exceptionally entertaining.
This is not neutral cinema. Nor does it pretend to be. This is a film that takes a stance.
Performances: Ranveer Leads, But the Supporting Cast Delivers
This is easily one of Ranveer Singh’s best performances.
After a phase where his image felt overly exaggerated, this film completely resets that perception. He is intense, controlled and fully immersed. Even critics and audiences are calling it his career-best performance. He doesn’t feel like a star performing. He feels like the character.
Arjun Rampal is honestly the most underrated highlight. As Major Iqbal, he completely disappears into the role. You don’t see the actor. You only see the character. The only issue? He deserved more screen time.
Sanjay Dutt is solid, but compared to the first film, his role feels limited.His character exits earlier than expected, which reduces his overall impact. It’s not a bad performance, just an underutilized one.
The supporting cast actually deserves more credit than they’re getting. Actors like R. Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi, and others have been praised in early reactions for adding depth and credibility to the story.They may not dominate screen time, but they strengthen the narrative without a doubt, and make the world feel more real.
Action, Violence & Technical Aspects
This film is brutal.
It is one of the most violent mainstream Bollywood films in recent times. Some scenes are genuinely disturbing, which is why many reactions have described it as “one of the most violent films” they’ve seen. But this violence is not just for shock value.
It serves the story.
Technically, the film is very strong- large-scale action sequences high production value, immersive cinematography. It feels like a proper theatrical experience, not just another action film.
Music & Background Score
The music is good, but not great. Compared to the first film, it doesn’t hit the same emotional highs. That said, the background score works well and enhances the intensity of the film, which critics have also acknowledged.
So it supports the film, but doesn’t elevate it.
Final Verdict: Not Safe, Not Subtle, But Absolutely Impactful
Dhurandhar 2 is not a film for everyone.
It is long, intense, politically charged and emotionally heavy. But it is also bold. engaging and brutally honest. Critics are praising it. Audiences are calling it “mind-blowing” and “pure madness.”
And that’s exactly what it is. This is not a film that tries to please you. It is a film that forces you to react.
If you ignore the political stuff and focus on storytelling, this is easily one of the most impactful Bollywood films in recent years. And more importantly, it’s a film that proves something very simple:
When Bollywood stops playing safe, it can still surprise you.
Rating : 8 out of 10 stars
