Sanjay Gupta explains Dhurandhar gamble, says nobody would bet on Ranveer-Aditya
Sanjay Gupta said Aditya Dhar spent four years mounting Dhurandhar before Ranveer Singh and the Ambanis came on board. He also revealed that nobody in the industry was ready to bet on the film given its budget and the phase Ranveer was in.
Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has spoken about the scale of Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar and the difficulty of getting the film off the ground, saying the project was seen as a major risk because of its reported Rs 300 crore budget and the phase Ranveer Singh was going through in his career at the time. Speaking on the InControversial Podcast, Gupta said Dhar spent four years trying to mount the film before it finally moved ahead.
Gupta said the breakthrough came when Ranveer heard the script and agreed to come on board, after which the project received backing from the Ambanis. He also praised Dhar's filmmaking instincts, his world-building, and the choice to structure the film as a two-part story while retaining a cinematic flow.
Gupta on Dhar’s style and the struggle to mount the film
Reflecting on Dhar's filmmaking approach, Gupta said the director's inspirations were easy to spot. "It is very evident that Aditya Dhar is inspired by filmmakers of the 80s and 90s. I can clearly see those influences and that style of world-building. There is no doubt that Aditya Dhar is an exceptionally intelligent filmmaker. But having said that, he spent four years trying to put this project together. That’s how difficult it is, irrespective of whether your last film was a hit or not." he said.
The director added that the project remained difficult to set up despite Dhar having already delivered a successful film earlier in his career. According to him, the size of the budget and the circumstances surrounding its casting made Dhurandhar a hard sell within the industry.
How Ranveer Singh and the Ambanis changed things
The filmmaker said the turning point came when Ranveer Singh heard the script and responded to it. He added that support from the Ambanis became crucial at that stage. "The thing is that at some point of time, he met Ranveer who heard the script, loved it and they were backed by the Ambanis. That support was extremely important. At a time when the film was being made on a Rs 300 crore budget, nobody in their right mind would put that kind of money on a director who had made just one film and an actor who was going through an all-time career low. But they believed in it," he said.
Gupta’s remarks framed Dhurandhar as a project that required faith from both its lead actor and its backers at a time when the film’s scale could easily have worked against it.
A two-part film with cinematic flow
Gupta also said he was struck by Dhar's decision to split the story into two parts without making it feel shapeless. He suggested that the way the material was shaped and contained stood out to him as a filmmaker. "Even we make films and write scripts, and I don't believe he never intended to make a eight-hour story. But the way they contained it and structured it is fantastic," he said.
He returned to that point while discussing Dhar's execution and work ethic, saying the scale of what was shot in a relatively fixed schedule was remarkable. Referring to posts shared by Dhar on Instagram, Gupta said, "In the last few days, Aditya posted emotional notes for his cinematographer and editor on Instagram. In the note for the editor, he thanked him for supporting the decision to make it a two-part film and shaping it so beautifully. He is exceptional. The other day, Rakesh Bedi told me that Aditya shot for 150 days and ended up making an eight-hour film. That is incredible. He has set a completely new benchmark."
Aditya Dhar’s road to Dhurandhar
Dhar's own journey in the industry was far from straightforward. Before making his directorial debut with Uri: The Surgical Strike in 2019, he reportedly spent nearly a decade trying to establish himself, with reports even suggesting that people stole his scripts and ideas. When Uri was released, it went on to become a blockbuster and transformed Vicky Kaushal into a legit star.
Despite the success of Uri, Dhar then moved out of the spotlight, and his ambitious project The Immortal Ashwatthama, with Vicky, was eventually shelved. He later returned with Dhurandhar, which was announced in 2023 with a cast featuring Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna and Sanjay Dutt. The film was backed by Jio Studios.
What followed after release
As recent history has it, Dhurandhar went on to become a global cinematic phenomenon, with both parts together reportedly crossing Rs 3,000 crore worldwide and continuing to generate a frenzy long after release.
Gupta's comments on the podcast brought together the different stages of that journey - from Dhar's long struggle to mount the project, to the role played by Ranveer Singh and the Ambanis, and finally to a two-part film that went on to achieve a massive worldwide response.
Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has spoken about the scale of Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar and the difficulty of getting the film off the ground, saying the project was seen as a major risk because of its reported Rs 300 crore budget and the phase Ranveer Singh was going through in his career at the time. Speaking on the InControversial Podcast, Gupta said Dhar spent four years trying to mount the film before it finally moved ahead.
Gupta said the breakthrough came when Ranveer heard the script and agreed to come on board, after which the project received backing from the Ambanis. He also praised Dhar's filmmaking instincts, his world-building, and the choice to structure the film as a two-part story while retaining a cinematic flow.
Gupta on Dhar’s style and the struggle to mount the film
Reflecting on Dhar's filmmaking approach, Gupta said the director's inspirations were easy to spot. "It is very evident that Aditya Dhar is inspired by filmmakers of the 80s and 90s. I can clearly see those influences and that style of world-building. There is no doubt that Aditya Dhar is an exceptionally intelligent filmmaker. But having said that, he spent four years trying to put this project together. That’s how difficult it is, irrespective of whether your last film was a hit or not." he said.
The director added that the project remained difficult to set up despite Dhar having already delivered a successful film earlier in his career. According to him, the size of the budget and the circumstances surrounding its casting made Dhurandhar a hard sell within the industry.
How Ranveer Singh and the Ambanis changed things
The filmmaker said the turning point came when Ranveer Singh heard the script and responded to it. He added that support from the Ambanis became crucial at that stage. "The thing is that at some point of time, he met Ranveer who heard the script, loved it and they were backed by the Ambanis. That support was extremely important. At a time when the film was being made on a Rs 300 crore budget, nobody in their right mind would put that kind of money on a director who had made just one film and an actor who was going through an all-time career low. But they believed in it," he said.
Gupta’s remarks framed Dhurandhar as a project that required faith from both its lead actor and its backers at a time when the film’s scale could easily have worked against it.
A two-part film with cinematic flow
Gupta also said he was struck by Dhar's decision to split the story into two parts without making it feel shapeless. He suggested that the way the material was shaped and contained stood out to him as a filmmaker. "Even we make films and write scripts, and I don't believe he never intended to make a eight-hour story. But the way they contained it and structured it is fantastic," he said.
He returned to that point while discussing Dhar's execution and work ethic, saying the scale of what was shot in a relatively fixed schedule was remarkable. Referring to posts shared by Dhar on Instagram, Gupta said, "In the last few days, Aditya posted emotional notes for his cinematographer and editor on Instagram. In the note for the editor, he thanked him for supporting the decision to make it a two-part film and shaping it so beautifully. He is exceptional. The other day, Rakesh Bedi told me that Aditya shot for 150 days and ended up making an eight-hour film. That is incredible. He has set a completely new benchmark."
Aditya Dhar’s road to Dhurandhar
Dhar's own journey in the industry was far from straightforward. Before making his directorial debut with Uri: The Surgical Strike in 2019, he reportedly spent nearly a decade trying to establish himself, with reports even suggesting that people stole his scripts and ideas. When Uri was released, it went on to become a blockbuster and transformed Vicky Kaushal into a legit star.
Despite the success of Uri, Dhar then moved out of the spotlight, and his ambitious project The Immortal Ashwatthama, with Vicky, was eventually shelved. He later returned with Dhurandhar, which was announced in 2023 with a cast featuring Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna and Sanjay Dutt. The film was backed by Jio Studios.
What followed after release
As recent history has it, Dhurandhar went on to become a global cinematic phenomenon, with both parts together reportedly crossing Rs 3,000 crore worldwide and continuing to generate a frenzy long after release.
Gupta's comments on the podcast brought together the different stages of that journey - from Dhar's long struggle to mount the project, to the role played by Ranveer Singh and the Ambanis, and finally to a two-part film that went on to achieve a massive worldwide response.
