Madhur Bhandarkar Declares 2025 The Year of Dhurandhar: 'Aditya Dhar Changed The Grammar'
As 2025 heads towards its final curtain, celebrated filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar looks back at a year he believes redefined Hindi cinema in many ways. In an exclusive interaction, the Fashion director revealed his top three films of 2025, offering detailed insights into what impressed him most from direction and performances to storytelling depth. Topping his list was Aditya Dhar ’s Dhurandhar , a film Bhandarkar feels has changed the creative landscape of the industry.
Aditya Dhar Named Director Of The Year
For Madhur Bhandarkar, Aditya Dhar stood out clearly as the filmmaker who pushed boundaries this year. Praising his vision, he said, “As a director, I feel Aditya Dhar has changed the grammar. He has changed the whole dynamics, the whole equation of the film industry and the script.” According to Bhandarkar, Dhurandhar represents a shift in how stories are written, mounted, and performed in mainstream cinema.
Ranveer Singh And Akshaye Khanna Leave A Lasting Impact
Bhandarkar was equally generous in praising the film’s leading performances, especially Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna. While discussing Khanna’s work, particularly in Chhaava, he said, “Both actors were brilliant in their roles. Akshay Khanna was absolutely brilliant in both films. Akshay Khanna, especially! I tweeted about it. It was a masterclass for any actor. The body language, the nuances, the kind of work he has done. Fab, fab, fab is an understatement. It's brilliant. I really, really, really loved it.”
Talking about Ranveer Singh, Bhandarkar highlighted the actor’s controlled and understated approach. “I loved him because I just felt that the role required a lot of restraint in the character, and he did it. And sometimes he is just in the background. And that also, he performed so well. In the foreground, you have Akshaye and other people, and he performed so well. And the close-up was shot so brilliantly.”
Reflecting on the year as a whole, Bhandarkar concluded, “So, I feel, the year belonged to these people only. Absolutely brilliant.”
A Closer Look At Ranveer Singh’s Performance In Dhurandhar
As the conversation deepened, Bhandarkar spoke about the subtle layers of Ranveer Singh’s character and how consistently he stayed in role. “You have to credit the actor and the director both. I feel Ranveer just surrendered to the vision of the filmmaker. He was just there, like one of the people who were there.”
He further explained how even the smallest moments added weight to the character. “Even in his close-ups, when Akshaye Khanna and Arjun Rampal are saying their lines, he's just lying there, alert.” According to Bhandarkar, this kind of restrained acting is difficult to pull off and requires complete trust in the director.
Scenes That Defined The Film
Highlighting specific sequences, Bhandarkar pointed to moments that stayed with him long after the film ended. “I think that nuance was very well caught, especially during the 26/11 scene and the way he reacted.” He also mentioned the interrogation scene involving an Indian spy, adding, “Another is when he does the scene with the Indian spy who was being tortured by Arjun.”
Explaining why such performances are rare, he said, “See, it's very difficult to restrain performances. And that also, it’s not that you are reacting within four walls with other people. It's a very difficult kind of performance, you know, where the audience really captures well.” He credited Aditya Dhar once again, stating, “Aditya Dhar has definitely captured that, and he has broken new ground.”
Box Office Expectations
Bhandarkar believes Dhurandhar has the potential to reach unprecedented heights. He said he would not be surprised if the film breaks box-office records, especially with the festive season expected to boost collections further.
The Other Two Films On His 2025 List
Apart from Dhurandhar, Bhandarkar named Saiyaara as his second favourite film of the year. Speaking about the romantic drama, he said, “I loved ‘Saiyaara’ because I thought that the love story was brilliant. Both actors, Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda, were outstanding in the film.” He added that the performances left a strong impression on him: “When I was watching the film, I was just mesmerised by it completely.”
Praising the debut actors, he noted, “It was their debut film, but it didn’t feel that way; they acted so well.”
The third film on his list was Kantara: Chapter 1. Sharing his thoughts, Bhandarkar said, “Another film I liked was ‘Kantara: Chapter 1.’ I loved it.” Calling the film “simply awesome,” he reserved special praise for Rishab Shetty, concluding, “I think Reshab Shetty was just brilliant, the way he performed. He mesmerised everybody with his performances. It was a brilliant work this time. Really enjoyed it.”
With these picks, Madhur Bhandarkar’s year-ender highlights a 2025 that celebrated strong direction, nuanced acting, and cinema that dared to evolve setting a high benchmark for the years ahead.
Aditya Dhar Named Director Of The Year
For Madhur Bhandarkar, Aditya Dhar stood out clearly as the filmmaker who pushed boundaries this year. Praising his vision, he said, “As a director, I feel Aditya Dhar has changed the grammar. He has changed the whole dynamics, the whole equation of the film industry and the script.” According to Bhandarkar, Dhurandhar represents a shift in how stories are written, mounted, and performed in mainstream cinema.
Ranveer Singh And Akshaye Khanna Leave A Lasting Impact
Bhandarkar was equally generous in praising the film’s leading performances, especially Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna. While discussing Khanna’s work, particularly in Chhaava, he said, “Both actors were brilliant in their roles. Akshay Khanna was absolutely brilliant in both films. Akshay Khanna, especially! I tweeted about it. It was a masterclass for any actor. The body language, the nuances, the kind of work he has done. Fab, fab, fab is an understatement. It's brilliant. I really, really, really loved it.”
Talking about Ranveer Singh, Bhandarkar highlighted the actor’s controlled and understated approach. “I loved him because I just felt that the role required a lot of restraint in the character, and he did it. And sometimes he is just in the background. And that also, he performed so well. In the foreground, you have Akshaye and other people, and he performed so well. And the close-up was shot so brilliantly.”
Reflecting on the year as a whole, Bhandarkar concluded, “So, I feel, the year belonged to these people only. Absolutely brilliant.”
A Closer Look At Ranveer Singh’s Performance In Dhurandhar
As the conversation deepened, Bhandarkar spoke about the subtle layers of Ranveer Singh’s character and how consistently he stayed in role. “You have to credit the actor and the director both. I feel Ranveer just surrendered to the vision of the filmmaker. He was just there, like one of the people who were there.”
He further explained how even the smallest moments added weight to the character. “Even in his close-ups, when Akshaye Khanna and Arjun Rampal are saying their lines, he's just lying there, alert.” According to Bhandarkar, this kind of restrained acting is difficult to pull off and requires complete trust in the director.
Scenes That Defined The Film
Highlighting specific sequences, Bhandarkar pointed to moments that stayed with him long after the film ended. “I think that nuance was very well caught, especially during the 26/11 scene and the way he reacted.” He also mentioned the interrogation scene involving an Indian spy, adding, “Another is when he does the scene with the Indian spy who was being tortured by Arjun.”
Explaining why such performances are rare, he said, “See, it's very difficult to restrain performances. And that also, it’s not that you are reacting within four walls with other people. It's a very difficult kind of performance, you know, where the audience really captures well.” He credited Aditya Dhar once again, stating, “Aditya Dhar has definitely captured that, and he has broken new ground.”
Box Office Expectations
Bhandarkar believes Dhurandhar has the potential to reach unprecedented heights. He said he would not be surprised if the film breaks box-office records, especially with the festive season expected to boost collections further.
The Other Two Films On His 2025 List
Apart from Dhurandhar, Bhandarkar named Saiyaara as his second favourite film of the year. Speaking about the romantic drama, he said, “I loved ‘Saiyaara’ because I thought that the love story was brilliant. Both actors, Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda, were outstanding in the film.” He added that the performances left a strong impression on him: “When I was watching the film, I was just mesmerised by it completely.”
Praising the debut actors, he noted, “It was their debut film, but it didn’t feel that way; they acted so well.”
The third film on his list was Kantara: Chapter 1. Sharing his thoughts, Bhandarkar said, “Another film I liked was ‘Kantara: Chapter 1.’ I loved it.” Calling the film “simply awesome,” he reserved special praise for Rishab Shetty, concluding, “I think Reshab Shetty was just brilliant, the way he performed. He mesmerised everybody with his performances. It was a brilliant work this time. Really enjoyed it.”
With these picks, Madhur Bhandarkar’s year-ender highlights a 2025 that celebrated strong direction, nuanced acting, and cinema that dared to evolve setting a high benchmark for the years ahead.
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