Ranveer and Akshay’s film created a stir at the box office

Mumbai: Director Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller ‘Dhurandhar’ is making waves in theaters even after three weeks of its release. The film, starring Ranveer Singh and Akshay Khanna in the lead roles, has crossed the Rs 900 crore mark globally, making it the biggest hit of 2025. Along with the tremendous appreciation from the audience, there have also been criticisms calling the film ‘propaganda’ and ‘agenda based’. Recently, YouTuber Dhruv Rathi in one of his videos termed it as ‘dangerous propaganda’, on which actor Naveen Kaushik, who played the character of ‘Donga’ in the film, has given his reaction.

Naveen Kaushik’s response

In an interview, when Naveen was asked about the backlash the film was receiving, he said that it hurts to hear the criticism, but one should look at it from a positive perspective. He said, “Discuss the quality of the film and the standards of cinema. If you think it is poorly made, then talk about it. But do not try to present it as ideology or propaganda.”

Hindu-Muslim issue should not be made

Naveen also said that some people are trying to make the film a Hindu-Muslim issue, which is wrong. He argues that if it was an agenda based film, Muslim technicians would not have worked in it. Commenting on Dhruv Rathi’s video, he sarcastically said that he is a person with opinions, but being associated with the film, he does not agree. Also, “His video got views due to the popularity of our film, congratulations.”

Dhurandhar’s box office journey

On the success of the film, Naveen said that the team had expected reactions to sensitive topics, but such overwhelming support from the audience was unexpected. The action, espionage and story inspired by real events in ‘Dhurandhar’ has kept the audience engaged. The second part of the film is also ready, in which more action and mystery will be added.

Despite the controversies, the box office journey of ‘Dhurandhar’ continues and it is sparking a new debate in Indian cinema whether films can touch social issues along with entertainment, or is it appropriate to label it as propaganda? The audience is deciding for themselves, and the results are clearly visible in the film’s earnings.