RGV recalls Dhurandhar's greatness again in new post amid Toxic's negative reviews

Ram Gopal Varma has once again praised Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, this time outlining what he believes filmmakers can learn from the Ranveer Singh-starrer. His latest post on X came on Monday morning, August 31, as Geetu Mohandas' Kannada action thriller Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grownups, starring Yash, faced pressure at the box office following its release on August 26.The timing has drawn attention because Varma had posted about Dhurandhar on the day Toxic opened in cinemas. He wrote that he was "watching Dhurandhar again", prompting speculation that it was a dig at Yash's film. The following day, he reposted it with the caption, "Rewatching #dhurandhar again and again."Dhurandhar and Toxic were originally scheduled to clash on March 19, 2026, before the latter was postponed.RGV says filmmakers should learn from DhurandharVarma said the biggest lesson from Dhurandhar is its approach to characters. "What every filmmaker should understand from #dhurandhar is that it is full of living, breathing characters who seem as real as you and me sitting and watching in the theatre, hence making it highly relatable," he wrote. Comparing it with his 1998 gangster classic Satya, Varma said Dhurandhar takes realism "to another level". He argued that even big-budget films should prioritise making their worlds and characters feel real."That is the only lesson worth stealing for all filmmakers, which the one most expensive films refuse to learn," he wrote. Ram Gopal Varma's X Post ‘Dhurandhar does not treat its hero as a walking poster’Varma then contrasted Dhurandhar's treatment of its protagonist with what he described as the conventions of star-led commercial cinema. "Dhurandhar does not treat its hero as a walking poster who must be worshipped at all costs," he wrote.He pointed out that the protagonist can wait tables, listen instead of speaking, make mistakes and appear vulnerable. According to Varma, the camera does not constantly try to elevate the hero. "It watches," he wrote."You are not waiting for the next elevation shot. You are staying because the people on screen make you stay by becoming immersive. The other films swagger (presumably Toxic) have fog and slow motion that lasts longer than the characters' inner lives," he added.RGV takes aim at the female characters of ‘the other film’Varma singled out Akshaye Khanna's Rehman Dakait, saying the character was not created simply to look "iconic in a still" but instead had specific traits, fears and mannerisms.He made similar observations about Rakesh Bedi's Pakistani politician Jameel Jamali, Sanjay Dutt's SP Chaudhary Aslam, Danish Pandor's Uzair Baloch and Gaurav Gera's juice seller Mohammed Aalam.According to Varma, these characters do not exist to "decorate the star".He then turned his criticism towards the portrayal of women in what he called "the other films", writing, "The women are not people. They are functions arranged around the same gravitational centre, so that the centre never has to become a living real person. You cannot tell what any of them is when he is not in the shot."The remark was widely construed online as another indirect reference to Toxic, which features a prominent female ensemble including Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria. Continuation of Ram Gopal Varma's X Post Varma also contrasted the use of violence in Dhurandhar with what he described as spectacle-driven filmmaking."Violence in Dhurandhar has a before and an after. Somebody pays. Somebody changes. Somebody is left standing feeling smaller. In the other films, violence is just a spectacle minus context. Attitude is the plot. Style arrives first and then searches for a reason," he added. Continuation of Ram Gopal Varma's X Post Dhurandhar vs Toxic at the box officeVarma's latest praise for Dhurandhar comes as Toxic struggles to meet expectations at the box office. The Yash-starrer failed to cross Rs 300 crore worldwide during its five-day extended opening weekend, falling short of the trade expectations surrounding the long-awaited film. By comparison, Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge crossed Rs 300 crore within the same period earlier this year and went on to become the highest-grossing Indian franchise at the worldwide box office, collecting more than Rs 3,000 crore. The two films had been frequently compared even before release because they were originally scheduled for a direct clash on March 19. Toxic was later postponed amid the Gulf conflict, which affected its prospects in the Middle East, an important overseas market for Yash.Toxic is co-produced by Yash's Monster Mind Creations and KVN Productions and is co-written by Yash and Geetu Mohandas. Made simultaneously in Kannada and English, Toxic was also dubbed and released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Although Ram Gopal Varma did not directly name the Yash-starrer, his comments on star worship, supporting characters, female roles and spectacle have inevitably fuelled comparisons between the two films.- EndsPublished By: Sanjay Ponnappa CSPublished On: Aug 31, 2026 16:32 ISTMUST WATCH: