Explained : Anurag Kashyap Says Dhurandha ‘Not Propaganda’, But Questions Its Politics: ‘The Dialogue About New India…’ | Bollywood News and Its Impact

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 09:29 IST

Anurag Kashyap praises Dhurandhar as a courageous film while rejecting propaganda labels and questioning parts of its political messaging.

Anurag Kashyap has praised Dhurandhar as a courageous mainstream film.

At a time when filmmakers often tread carefully around politics, Anurag Kashyap believes taking a risk is exactly what mainstream cinema needs. Speaking at a public forum recently, the director described Dhurandhar as a rare example of courage in today’s commercial filmmaking, even though he made it clear he does not agree with all of the film’s political messaging.

Kashyap was speaking at the Bengaluru International Film Festival, where he participated in a session titled Fearless Film Making.

‘A courageous mainstream film’

During the session, Kashyap spoke about the lack of political films in the current landscape and suggested that several older films would struggle to be made today. Referring specifically to Dhurandhar, he said, “This is a good example of a courageous mainstream film. I liked the film, but I didn’t like some of the ideologies. The dialogue about ‘This is the new India’ and one long political monologue, among a total of three scenes, were unnecessary; even without them, the film’s impact would not have diminished.”

On propaganda and political labelling

Kashyap also addressed the criticism surrounding Dhurandhar, particularly the tendency to label such films as propaganda or promotion. Dismissing that argument, he said that branding films in this way often says more about the critic than the content. He argued that calling a film propaganda is, in itself, a political act. Drawing a comparison with Hollywood, he added, “Hollywood’s Marvel films propagate American supremacy, but no one criticises them from that perspective.”

A blockbuster with scale and reach

Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar features Ranveer Singh in the lead, alongside Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Rampal. The film has emerged as a global juggernaut, grossing over Rs 1300 crore worldwide and earning widespread attention.

Dhurandhar OTT release

As per a Mid-Day report, the makers of Dhurandhar have begun talks with satellite channels and broadcasters to sell the rights to Parts 1 and 2 as a single package. The idea is to maximise value by offering the franchise together rather than as standalone films. A source told the publication, “While the first part is expected to start airing from March 31, the second installment—that hits theaters on March 19— will make its way to TV screens only 117 days, roughly almost four months, after its release. The team is finalizing worldwide transmission deals, except for the territories of China, Taiwan, and Macau.”