Key Takeaways
- The movie Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, is a crime epic that combines elements of espionage and gangster sagas to create a narrative driven by contradiction.
- The film features a talented cast, including R Madhavan, Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, and Sanjay Dutt, who deliver strong performances.
- The movie’s use of craft and technique is impressive, but its purpose is questionable, as it seems to be used to antagonize and stoke animosity rather than promote empathy and understanding.
- The film reduces a faith to a caricature of barbarism, equating an entire religious community with violence, and turns them into hate-mongers.
- The narrative is driven by vengeance, and everything is twisted into a spectacle of hate, with no empathy or respect for the martyrs of 26/11.
Introduction to Dhurandhar
The movie Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, is a complex and thought-provoking film that combines elements of espionage and gangster sagas to create a narrative driven by contradiction. The film’s title, Dhurandhar, refers to a shape that reveals itself in the first few minutes of the movie, setting the tone for the rest of the story. The year is 1999, and the Kandahar hijacking has turned a plane into a pressure chamber, where the characters are forced to confront their differences and allegiances. The film’s protagonist, Ajay Sanyal, played by R Madhavan, is the IB Chief who tries to kindle resolve among the hostages, but his efforts are met with silence and accusations.
Narrative Choices
One of the smartest narrative choices made by Dhar is to move away from the traditional confines of espionage and steer the story closer to a gangster saga. The film takes us deep into the heart of Pakistan’s underworld nexus, where we meet a range of characters, including crime kingpin Rehman Dakait, played by Akshaye Khanna, and cop Chaudhary Aslam, played by Sanjay Dutt. These characters are fully realized and flesh-and-blood, with their own motivations and conflicts. The film also explores the backdrop of Balochistan’s struggle for self-determination and the way it influences rivalries between local gangs and the Pashtuns. While some plot points may follow a predictable arc, the collision of these forces maintains a solid engagement.
Craft and Technique
Aditya Dhar’s craft and technique are on full display in Dhurandhar. He understands the architecture of anticipation, the careful accumulation of tension, and the satisfaction of a delayed payoff. The introduction of Akshaye Khanna’s character, for example, is timed perfectly, establishing his aura without any spectacle. The use of intertitles, techno-qawwali, and Ghulam Ali’s ghazal in unexpected contexts also hints at competency. However, the fundamental question remains: to what end is this skill applied? Is it to antagonize and stoke animosity, or to promote empathy and understanding? The answer to this question is crucial in evaluating the film’s moral function and the harm it may inflict.
Problematic Portrayal
The film’s portrayal of certain communities is problematic, to say the least. It reduces a faith to a caricature of barbarism, equating an entire religious community with violence, and turns them into hate-mongers. The film’s most haunting moment, where the screen bleeds red and transcripts of the 26/11 Mumbai attackers’ conversations with their handlers in the ISI scroll before us, is a case in point. The relentless repetition of the word "kaafir" (infidels) pierces the silence, creating a sense of unease and discomfort. The film’s narrative is driven by vengeance, and everything is twisted into a spectacle of hate, with no empathy or respect for the martyrs of 26/11.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Dhurandhar is a complex and thought-provoking film that combines elements of espionage and gangster sagas to create a narrative driven by contradiction. While the film’s craft and technique are impressive, its purpose is questionable, and its portrayal of certain communities is problematic. The film’s narrative is driven by vengeance, and everything is twisted into a spectacle of hate, with no empathy or respect for the martyrs of 26/11. As such, it is essential to approach this film with a critical eye, recognizing both its technical achievements and its moral shortcomings. Ultimately, the film’s impact will depend on the audience’s ability to discern between entertainment and propaganda, and to recognize the harm that such narratives can inflict.