4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Mar 25, 2026 11:46 AM IST
When Dhurandhar first released on December 5, it drew a divided response — widely praised by some, while others labelled it “well-made propaganda.” However, with Dhurandhar 2 hitting theatres on March 19 (along with special paid previews on March 18), a section of viewers — including members of the international media — have criticised the film for its brutality, violence, and graphic imagery.
International media against Dhurandhar 2
The New York Times noted, “The first installment’s critics might think this sequel further desensitizes viewers to violence along national or religious lines. It’s a movie of the current moment, which isn’t exactly a comfort.”
Meanwhile, movieswetextedfor.com wrote, “When you have an entire cinema wincing and covering their eyes at violence upon violence, your movie is too much.” The publication added, “There is so little enjoyment to be found in Dhurandhar: The Revenge that it’s hard to fathom why audiences are flocking to see all this horror.”
Meanwhile, Culture Mix wrote: ““Dhurandhar: The Revenge” starts off intriguing in the first 30 minutes, but then it merely becomes “checklist” exploitative violence, just for the sake of trying to be as shocking and nauseating as possible. ” It tries to pass itself off as a patriotic movie, but the toxic and barbaric nationalism on display is caustic, not cathartic.”
Despite the criticism abroad, the film has largely received a strong response in India. It currently holds an IMDb rating of 8.7/10, while BookMyShow users have rated it 9.5/10 based on over 277,000 votes. On Rotten Tomatoes, however, the film has a 45% score from just 13 reviews, with most international critics expressing reservations.
What people in India think about Dhurandhar 2
In India, the film has also sparked debate. Several political figures, along with actors like Divya Spandana and Prakash Raj, have called out its alleged “propaganda.”
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who had earlier described the first film as “well-made propaganda,” doubled down on his criticism. “I called Aditya Dhar a BJP propagandist three months ago. Now everyone will see it. It was subtle in the previous film, but he went so blatant this time in overconfidence. Remember how I said well-made propaganda is more dangerous? Ab toh well-made bhi nahi raha (now it’s not even well-made),” he said.
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Divya Spandana, also known as Ramya, shared a strongly worded note on X, writing, “Dhurandhar 2 is a huge disappointment. Ranveer, you’re better than this. Aditya Dhar — jingoism and propaganda is so passé. Get over it.”
In a subsequent post, she expressed concern over the film’s use of the Bhagavad Gita, arguing that it reduces a deeply philosophical text into a justification for external conflict. Referring to the shloka cited at the beginning of the film — “Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana” — she wrote that the “battlefield” in the Gita is symbolic, representing an internal struggle rather than a call to external conflict.
“My biggest issue with how films interpret the Bhagavad Gita is how they reduce something deeply philosophical into a justification for external conflict or propaganda. When Krishna speaks of a battlefield, it isn’t just a physical war. The ‘enemy’ is not another person or group — it is the restless mind, ignorance, ego, desire, attachment, negative thoughts,” she wrote.
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Dhurandhar 2 box office report
Dhurandhar: The Revenge is on a box office rampage, with its six-day worldwide collection already surpassing the lifetime earnings of Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal. The film is now poised to overtake its own prequel, which had crossed Rs 1,300 crore during its nearly two-month theatrical run. Going by its current momentum, Dhurandhar: The Revenge could even challenge the benchmark set by Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2, which boasts a massive lifetime collection of Rs 1,742 crore worldwide. Dhurandhar: The Revenge currently stands at Rs 919 crore worldwide. The film, alone in North America, has earned Rs 131 crore, according to Bollywood Hungama report. Meanwhile, its overseas collections stands at Rs 231.57 crore excluding the Gulf countries.
This article provides a factual analysis of current cinematic trends and critical reception. The views and reviews expressed are those of the respective critics and authors and do not constitute a recommendation or a substitute for personal judgment.
