Ram Gopal Varma may be one of the loudest cheerleaders for Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge, but the filmmaker has now pointed out a key aspect where he disagrees with the film—its portrayal of Dawood Ibrahim.Soon after the film’s release, RGV had taken to X to heap praise on director Aditya Dhar, calling the film the “next best after Sholay.” He even described it as a “quantum leap” in Indian filmmaking, referring to Dhar as his “new guru,” and compared its impact on him to that of his own cult classic Satya.
“Portrayal of Dawood is incorrect”
However, in a conversation with writer Hussain Zaidi on his YouTube channel, RGV said he had reservations about how Dawood Ibrahim has been depicted in the film.“The only element I disagree with is that… I feel that the portrayal of Dawood Ibrahim… They might have their own sources (but) I think it is being shown incorrectly,” he said.In Dhurandhar 2, the gangster is referred to as ‘Bade Sahab’ and is shown as the mastermind orchestrating terror operations in India while controlling networks from Pakistan.
“Not falling in line with what I know”
Varma further explained that while he cannot claim absolute authority, the version shown in the film does not align with his understanding.“It’s not like I can say that with authority. But it is not falling in line with what I know,” he added.The Satya director also shared his long-held belief about Dawood’s current status.“He is inactive by choice, because he stopped doing anything. I believe he retired from criminal activities 20 years ago,” RGV said, adding that he has also heard claims over the years about the gangster being unwell and inactive.
“No one can prove or disprove it”
Despite his disagreement, Varma acknowledged the ambiguity surrounding such real-life portrayals.“Nobody can be an expert, nobody can know this is the truth. We all think Dhurandhar has shown something… I can’t disprove it, and the director can’t prove it as well,” he stated.
Box office juggernaut continues
Headlined by Ranveer Singh, Dhurandhar 2 also stars Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, R Madhavan, Gaurav Gera and Sara Arjun, with Akshaye Khanna playing a pivotal role in the first instalment.Released in March this year, the film has emerged as a box office juggernaut, collecting over Rs 1700 crore globally and continuing its strong run across multiple territories.The Dhurandhar franchise has now crossed the Rs 3000 crore milestone worldwide, becoming the first Indian film series to achieve this feat.
