Shashi Tharoor reviews Dhurandhar, questions propaganda and India-Pakistan portrayal

Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor praised actor Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar sequel but criticised the franchise's graphic violence and political messaging. He also raised concerns about propaganda and the depiction of India-Pakistan relations.Shashi Tharoor shared his assessment of Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar film series. (Credit: YouTube/ShashiTharoor/JioStudios)New Delhi,Oct 21, 2026 12:34 ISTCongress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor reviewed actor Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar franchise, questioning its political propaganda, gruesome violence, and portrayal of India-Pakistan relations. While praising the cinematic execution and performances in director Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller film series, the politician voiced serious reservations regarding the graphic content and underlying messaging.Addressing the political commentary and graphic violence in a nearly seven-minute video posted on his official YouTube channel and Instagram handle, Tharoor said, "Things that I don't like; there is far too much gruesome violence. It was totally excessive and over the top. There was no need to show so much violence, blood and mayhem, cruelty and some of the most disgusting scenes ever seen in Indian cinema."He added, "There is a lot of propaganda stuff built into it obviously, and I gather the film has been banned in many countries, not just in Pakistan, but many of the Gulf countries have banned it, saying it would needlessly create bad blood between Indians and Pakistanis, so I can understand those feelings."Reflecting on how Pakistani audiences might perceive the two-part action series, Tharoor suggested that while certain lines might be met with humour, other sequences could prompt viewers to reflect on actions executed in their country's name. He said, "I don’t know how Pakistanis will react if they see this. Some of the lines, I think Pakistanis will laugh. Some of the other things, I think Pakistanis will realise how much wrong has been done in their name."While acknowledging these concerns, he emphasised that the second instalment — Dhurandhar: The Revenge — stood out as a superior work of fictional entertainment compared to the December 2025 original.Tharoor also drew a contrast between the film's covert operations and his real-world interactions with Indian intelligence personnel. He said, "I have dealt with a lot of our intelligence people but in a very civilised way, having analysis, conversations, information exchanges but not really getting into any cloak and dagger stuff. I am certainly not aware of commands being given that lead to explosions in faraway capitals. That’s not the world I have ever lived in."The politician further questioned the timeline surrounding R Madhavan’s character, Ajay Sanyal — loosely based on National Security Advisor Ajit Doval — noting that depicted bureaucratic continuity across decades should be viewed strictly as a dramatic liberty within a fictional narrative, adding, "I think it would be too much of a stretch to assume that’s true. So I would see this as a fictional film that tells a story which obviously is meant to impart a certain sense of lessons as well."Dhurandhar: The Revenge also featured actors Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Danish Pandor and Manav Gohil in key roles. The film theatrically released on March 19, 2026.- Ends