Dhurandhar (2025) Movie Review and Film Summary

Dhurandhar (2025): High-Octane Spy Action Thriller – Review and Summary

Dhurandhar (2025), directed by Aditya Dhar, is a massive spy action thriller that became one of the biggest global box-office hits of the year. Released in theaters worldwide on December 5, 2025, it’s the first part of a planned two-film saga. The movie blends intense espionage, gritty crime drama, and high-stakes action, pulling inspiration from real covert operations and international tensions.

Plot Summary

The story is set mostly in the early 2000s and centers on an undercover intelligence operative who goes deep undercover in the dangerous criminal underworld of Karachi, Pakistan. Played by Ranveer Singh, the lead character—using the alias Jaskirat Singh Rangi / Hamza Ali Mazari— infiltrates one of the city’s most feared mafia groups to take down a powerful terrorist network threatening his home country.

The film follows his dangerous rise through the ranks of the criminal empire. He builds alliances, survives brutal betrayals, and carries out high-risk missions while staying one step ahead of enemies who want him dead. The intelligence team, including a key figure played by R. Madhavan, oversees the operation from afar as the stakes keep rising.

Structured in chapters, the movie delivers graphic action, intricate spy tradecraft, and Shakespearean-level double-crosses. It runs a long 3 hours and 34 minutes but keeps the pace tight for most viewers. The ending is a major cliffhanger that sets up the sequel (released in March 2026), where the mission pushes even deeper into enemy territory with revenge driving the story.

Themes and Style

The film dives into themes of patriotism, personal sacrifice, revenge, and the gray areas of secret operations. It shows a determined fight against threats with no hesitation. Director Aditya Dhar delivers a visually striking, gritty world—detailed production design, intense fight sequences, strong cinematography, and a powerful soundtrack.

While it leans heavily into nationalist energy, it still focuses on character drama and suspense. Some viewers found the tone overly intense or one-sided, but the spectacle and performances carry it for most.

Standout Performances

Ranveer Singh gives a career-best performance—intense, controlled, and completely committed—as the lead operative. Akshaye Khanna steals scenes as a cold, calculating crime boss. The supporting cast (Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, and others) brings real weight and chemistry to every scene.

Critical Reception and Box-Office Impact

Reviews were mixed to positive. On Rotten Tomatoes it sits around 42% from critics but a huge 95% audience score. IMDb users gave it an 8.3/10 from over 115,000 votes.

Critics praised the direction, action choreography, visuals, music, and especially the cast—many called Ranveer Singh’s work magnetic and powerful. Some reviews pointed out the long runtime, occasional pacing dips, and dense plot as drawbacks. Others felt the heavy patriotic angle was polarizing.

On the business side, it became one of the highest-grossing films of 2025–2026, with massive worldwide earnings (well over a billion dollars globally) on a reported $27 million budget. It had incredible staying power in theaters and later became a huge streaming hit.

Where to Watch Now

As of February 2026, Dhurandhar is available to stream exclusively on Netflix. It dropped on the platform starting January 30, 2026, and is still going strong there—perfect for binge-watching at home. You can catch it with subtitles if needed, and it's rated TV-MA for the intense action and violence.

Netflix subscriptions start around $7.99/month for the basic plan with ads, or go up to $17.99/month for premium (4K, HDR, multiple streams—no ads). If you're already subscribed, just search for it and dive in. The streaming version is slightly shorter (about 3 hours 25 minutes) than the theatrical cut, with some minor edits for content or pacing.

Theatrical Options (If You Want the Big-Screen Experience)

Even though it's been out for a while and is now streaming, some theaters might still have limited showings, especially in areas with big international film audiences. Check chains like AMC Theatres, Regal Cinemas, or Cinemark—they often play Hindi-language or foreign films with English subtitles in select locations. Use sites like Fandango or the theater apps to search for "Dhurandhar" near you and see if any screens are still running it (sometimes holdovers or special screenings pop up). If it's not in theaters anymore, the Netflix version is the way to go for most people.

It's a solid pick if you like intense spy thrillers in the vein of Zero Dark Thirty, The Bourne Identity, or Sicario—just with a much longer runtime and bigger emotional swings.