R. Madhavan addresses 'premature' Dhurandhar criticism amid blockbuster box office collection: 'You haven’t seen the end yet'
R. Madhavan opened up about the ongoing Dhurandhar criticism while the box office collection is unstoppable. The actor recalled how Rang De Basanti and 3 Idiots also faced criticism initially.
Last Updated: 01.13 PM, Dec 13, 2025
Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar has created a storm at the box office as it crossed Rs. 200 crore already in week 1. While fans have been praising the film, some critics have criticised the film and given negative reviews, which have become the talk of the town. Now, R. Madhavan, who played the role of Director of the Intelligence Bureau, Ajay Sanyal (based on Ajit Doval), addressed the criticism and recalled how his films Rang De Basanti and 3 Idiots also faced criticism initially but became blockbusters at the box office.
R. Madhavan on Dhurandhar criticism
During an interview with Puja Talwar, R. Madhavan reacted to the criticism for Dhurandhar. He said that the team was expecting initial backlash before the film’s release and added that from the very beginning, he knew this was going to impact society, and there would be people who would first give it very bad ratings. Calling it ‘premature criticism,' Madhavan recalled Rang De Basanti and 3 Idiots also faced criticism upon their theatrical release initially, but later became blockbusters at the box office.
Madhavan said, “The people who gave two ratings have become irrelevant. We are still in the industry. I’m not saying this out of spite; you’re just missing the point. It’s time to evolve. When this happened with Dhurandhar, I thought, been there, done that. As actors, we dream of these situations, when everyone says it’s a stupid film, nothing will happen… And then it blows up. You haven’t seen the end yet.”
Dhurandhar box office collection
As per Sacnilk, Dhurandhar opened with a solid Rs. 28 crore. In one week, the film collected Rs. 207.25 crore. After 8 days, Ranveer Singh's espionage thriller minted Rs. 239.25 crore, and it is expected to cross Rs. 250 crore by the 9th or 10th day.
Meanwhile, Dhurandhar is a spy-thriller directed by Aditya Dhar, starring Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, and Arjun Rampal. It is inspired by real events like Operation Lyari, where an Indian RAW agent (Singh) lands in Karachi, Pakistan, to break up a terrorist network after major attacks like the 1999 Kandahar hijack and the 2001 Parliament attack.
After its theatrical run, Dhurandhar will be available for streaming on Netflix, while Dhurandhar Part 2 is all set to hit cinemas on March 19, 2026.
Dhurandhar FAQs
Q: Is the Dhurandhar movie based on a real story?
A: Dhurandhar draws inspiration from geopolitical tensions and real-life incidents of covert operations conducted by India's RAW, particularly those related to Operation Lyari. It is a government-led crackdown on criminal syndicates in the Lyari neighbourhood of Karachi, Pakistan.
Q: When is the Dhurandhar OTT release date?
A: The tentative OTT streaming release date for Dhurandhar on Netflix is January 30, 2026, as per the 8-week window rule after the theatrical run.
Q: Which streaming platform will Dhurandhar stream on?
A: Dhurandhar will stream exclusively on Netflix following its theatrical run, as the streaming giant has acquired the film's digital rights.
Q: Who is the director of Dhurandhar?
A: The film Dhurandhar is written, directed, and co-produced by Aditya Dhar, who is known for his work on the film Uri: The Surgical Strike.