Dhruv Rathee says Dhurandhar 2 is not even well-made ‘propaganda’: ‘I called Aditya Dhar a BJP propagandist, now everyone will see it’

Dhruv took to X and wrote, “I called Aditya Dhar a BJP propagandist 3 months ago. Now everyone will see it. It was subtle in the previous film, but he went so blatant this time in overconfidence. Remember how I said, well-made propaganda is more dangerous? Ab toh well-made bhi nahi raha. Lol”

I called Aditya Dhar a BJP propagandist 3 months ago.

Now everyone will see it. It was subtle in the previous film, but he went so blatant this time in overconfidence. Remember how I said, well-made propaganda is more dangerous? Ab toh well-made bhi nahi raha. Lol

— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) March 19, 2026

Netizens react to Dhruv Rathee’s comment

Dhruv Rathee’s remarks quickly triggered reactions online, while some backed him, others pushed back against his claims.

One user wrote, “Every time someone challenges your narrative, you call it propaganda. That says more about you than them.”

Another commented, “Oh, so now every film you don’t agree with automatically becomes “propaganda”? @dhruv_rathee, you said it months ago, sure But just labelling something doesn’t make it a fact. Where’s the actual breakdown? Which part is factually incorrect, and what exactly is being misrepresented? Films based on real events, conflicts, or national security have always existed, and calling all of them propaganda just because they don’t fit your narrative is a weak argument. Saying it was ‘subtle before’ and now ‘blatant’ sounds more like your personal bias than any objective analysis. And ironically, overusing the word ‘propaganda’ for everything you disagree with is what actually misleads people. If you have facts, present them; otherwise, this just looks like a pre-decided narrative rather than a genuine critique. Lol. #DhurandharTheRevenge”

A third user added, “I thought The kerala story was the biggest propaganda movie I have ever seen but I was wrong.”

Yet another user wrote, “Spot on. In Uri, you could at least argue it was technical craft, but Dhurandhar 2 is basically a 4-hour WhatsApp forward with a massive budget. It’s not even trying to be a ‘film’ anymore; it’s just a feedback loop for the base. When the craft fails, the agenda is all that’s left and it’s loud.”

Some users responded in a lighter, more playful tone. One joked, “When you’re sure Aditya Dhar got Dhruv Rathee to drop negative reviews on Dhurandhar 2 for hype… but have zero proof,” while another quipped, “Secret agent of @AdityaDharFilms again at work guys. Making sure ki 2000 Cr+ se kam collection naa ho. Salute .”

When Dhruv Rathee slammed Dhurandhar

This is not the first time Dhruv Rathee has criticised the franchise. When Dhurandhar was released, he had posted a detailed video, stating, “Well-made propaganda is more dangerous. Films like The Taj Story and The Bengal Films were not dangerous, kyunki wo bakwaas films thi (because they were bad films). But Dhurandhar is an engaging film. The problem is that Dhurandhar repeatedly shows you it’s inspired by real events. It says so in the trailer. It shows the real footage from the 26/11 attacks. The real audio recordings of conversations between the terrorists and their handlers have been used. It also uses real-life gangsters and cops based in Pakistan’s Lyari.”

The video had sparked backlash at the time, with Rathee later alleging that organised groups were running a mass-dislike campaign against him in a follow-up video. He also called Aditya Dhar “the new Vivek Agnihotri” for making propaganda films.

Even earlier, reacting to Dhurandhar’s trailer, Rathee had written, “Aditya Dhar has truly crossed a limit of cheapness in Bollywood. The extreme violence, gore and torture shown in his latest film trailer is the equivalent of watching ISIS beheadings and calling it ‘entertainment’. His lust for money is so unhinged that he is willingly poisoning the minds of the young generation, desensitising them to gore and glorifying unimaginable torture.”

Dhurandhar 2 box office collection

Meanwhile, Dhurandhar 2 continues to perform strongly at the box office. The film has already surpassed Animal and Jawan to become the highest Day 1 opener among Hindi films, collecting Rs 75.06 crore by 7 PM. It is now on track to cross the Rs 100 crore mark on its opening day. However, in the overall pan-India rankings, it still trails behind blockbusters such as RRR, Pushpa 2: The Rule, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, Salaar and KGF: Chapter 2.

The film, which released on Thursday, faced some early hurdles during its paid previews on March 18. Technical glitches affected multiple regions, including South India, leading to last-minute cancellations. Independent exhibitors told SCREEN that delays in receiving the DCP for the second half forced some theatres to rely on preliminary versions, while others had to cancel shows and issue refunds. Following the disruption, both director Aditya Dhar and PVR issued apologies for the inconvenience.