Dhurandhar The Revenge Is Angrier, Bloodier, Messier

Despite the bumps along the way, the finale of Dhurandhar The Revenge lands perfectly, giving the protagonist and the story a sense of closure.
In the current landscape of stretching the narrative for blockbuster appeal, Aditya Dhar wisely opts for a proper ending. And that deserves respect, applauds Mayur Sanap.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge opens on a surprisingly unassuming note.

We see a family of five coming together for a photograph, their faces are filled with warmth and happiness. Ranveer Singh appears as Jaskirat, a shy and lanky young man who seems almost fragile as he stands beside his family. It is a striking contrast to what he eventually becomes.

For a film as intense and violent as this, this familial moment feels like a calm pause before the storm that is about to follow.

When his family is wronged, Jaskirat is consumed by grief and anger, and he transforms into a dangerous force seeking justice through revenge.

The word 'Revenge' cleverly bridges the past and present worlds of the protagonist.

As hinted in the footnote of the earlier part, Jaskirat is taken under the guidance of R Madhavan's character, Ajay Sanyal, an Intelligence Bureau chief who trains him as a covert asset named Hamza to infiltrate terror networks in Pakistan.

While Jaskirat is consumed by anger to avenge his family's suffering, Hamza channels that same anger into a larger purpose, using it as fuel against the enemies of his motherland.

What doesn't work in Dhurandhar: The Revenge

You expect the strong emotional undercurrent of Hamza's backstory to drive much of this sequel. But, as the espionage narrative progresses, it leans more toward a full-scale action thriller rather than building on the smart and layered storytelling of the first part, which clearly had a stronger sense of scale and urgency.

Hamza rises through the ranks in Lyari, systematically eliminating every name written in his diary. If Akshaye Khanna's Rehman Dakait was the first major obstacle, Arjun Rampal's Major Iqbal emerges as the ultimate target he must take down. The story plunges into intense gang wars, filled with all sorts of graphic and shocking visuals.

One of the film's main issues is that it feels far less expansive, both in story and scale. The central idea of revenge is consistent, but the antagonists never feel formidable enough to create real urgency or danger. The character of Major Iqbal is oddly subdued, and even the enigmatic Bade Sahab ends up feeling underdeveloped, without any real payoff.

The political stance of Dhurandhar is no secret, but in this film, it is pushed even harder. The story shows references to the Ram temple, demonetisation, and surgical strikes as points of pride, and even includes televised speeches by the prime minister. These moments feel less like organic storytelling and more like heavy-handed messaging. You can't help but think the film would have worked better without the constant barrage of overt political overtones.

A few well-executed twists and turns manage to hold your attention, and at times, the film even nudges you to revisit the first part through certain characters, almost as if it recognises that its foundation is stronger there.

There's also a constant spoon-feeding of information throughout its nearly four-hour runtime. Flashbacks appear to explain things that are already clear. It feels almost as if the director does not trust viewers to connect the dots.

Music is another mixed area. With T-Series taking over from Saregama, the shift is noticeable, but not entirely effective. Even though the sequel doubles up on retro soundtracks, the songs do not elevate the scenes the way they should. Compared to the first film, the energy is lower and the zing is largely missing.

There are also a few noticeable dubbing issues, especially in the climax, where the dialogue doesn't match the actors' lip movements. The sound design feels off at times, coming across as jarring, which may be because the film was rushed to its release date.

Mukesh Chhabra's casting is fantastic

One area where the film truly excels is in its casting by Mukesh Chhabra. The major roles are terrific, led by Ranveer Singh's magnetic performance, but it is often the smaller characters who leave a lasting impression despite limited screen time.

From Suvinder Vicky's abusive father to Bhasha Sumbli (The Kashmir Files, Baramulla) as a compassionate lawyer, and Gaurav Gera's hardened spy, every face feels right for the role in this carefully assembled cast.

My personal favourite remains Rakesh Bedi, whose role gains such energy by the film's climax that you can't help but marvel at both the actor and the character's calculated mischief. He truly steals the show.

The chaos and grandeur all come together in an emotional climax that echoes the opening stretch of the film. Ranveer's character experiences a near-cathartic moment when he utters his own name, revealing his true identity to Yalina (Sara Arjun). It's a moment that recalls the same emotional reveal in Lootera.

Despite all the bumps along the way, the finale lands perfectly, giving the protagonist and the story a sense of closure. In the current landscape of stretching the narrative for blockbuster appeal, Aditya Dhar wisely opts for a proper ending. And that deserves respect.