Ranveer Singh Dhurandhar row: Yami Gautam exposes 'paid negative PR', Hrithik Roshan voices support

We often see, ahead of a film's release, that there is a certain negativity around the actor or a simple promotional event in which celebs go to promote their upcoming film, and something they say is misconstrued and blown out of proportion. This is exactly what's happening with Dhurandhar. Ranveer Singh and the cast haven't promoted their film on a large scale like other films, by going on city tours, doing media interviews, and attending college events. 

Despite the makers of the Dhurandhar team and cast keeping the film low on promotions, the film is under fire for all the wrong reasons. 

Ranveer Singh Dhurandhar controversy deepens

It all began after Ranveer Singh mocked the divine form of a deity portrayed in the Kannada film Kantara Chapter 1 and referred to Chamundi Daiva, revered by the Kotitulu community, as a "female ghost" during his recent appearance at the IFFI 2025 closing ceremony held in Goa.

And then came the parents of late Major Mohit Sharma, who approached the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on its release. However, after multiple hearings, Aditya denied that it's a biopic and in no way similar to that of late Major Mohit Sharma. However, the Delhi High Court refused to halt the release but acknowledged the family's concerns. It directed the CBFC and filmmakers to engage with the family and Armed Forces experts before certification.

The family believes the film may have been inspired by the life and covert missions of the officer without their consent. Major Sharma, who was martyred in 2009 and posthumously honoured with the Ashok Chakra, remains a towering figure for generations of Army aspirants.

After much ado, the film was given a proper release and certification. 

As per the censor certificate, it shows that the film is 3 hours and 30 minutes long.

The certification also revealed the film's plot and details about Ranveer's character. The synopsis reads: "Set against the backdrop of the IC-814 hijacking in 1999 and the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the film follows India's Intelligence Bureau Chief Ajay Sanyal, who crafts a daring and indomitable mission to infiltrate and dismantle a powerful terrorist network operating out of Pakistan. To execute this high-risk operation, Sanyal recruits an unlikely asset, a 20-year-old boy from Punjab, held captive for committing a revenge-driven crime. Recognising the boy's potential and raw intensity, Sanyal decides to mould him into a weapon capable of penetrating Karachi's ruthless underworld mafia."

KRK shares negative reviews ahead of film's release

KRK on social media has been slamming the film, and so are other YouTubers and social media users.

Yami Gautam, the actor and wife of director Aditya Dhar, has called it a paid PR campaign and requested media and fans to watch the film and not derive any conclusion.

Taking to social media, she wrote, "There is something I've been wanting to express for a long time, and I feel today is that day & I must. This so-called trend of giving money, under the guise of marketing a film, to ensure good 'hype' is created for a film, or else 'they' will continuously write negative things (even before the film is released), until you pay 'them' money, feels nothing but a kind of extortion. Just because this arrangement is accessible to anyone, whether to 'hype' a film or spread negativity against another actor or a film, is a plague that is going to affect the future of our industry in a big way." 

She compared Bollywood to the South Indian film industry, where they are more united and stand together for a lot of things.

Yami Gautam appealed to filmmakers and artists to come together to stop what she called a "termite of a culture" before it spreads further.

"In the South, no one can dare do such things because the industry stands united on a lot of fronts. I urge our esteemed producers, directors, and actors to come together in order to arrest this termite of a culture at this stage itself and discourage it," she added.

Echoing her thoughts, Hrithik Roshan, who often stays away from controversies and doesn't comment, came out in support and stood by Yami.

Hrithik Roshan, who worked with her on Kaabil, backed her in the comments section.

He wrote, "More than anything, the golden thing that gets lost—and leaves them and all of us impoverished is the journalist's true voice, a chance for them to tell the creative forces behind a movie what they felt, thought, what they applaud and criticise. Only honest opinions have the potential to help us evolve.."

Further adding, "Their right to freedom is unknowingly usurped, and so is our chance of growth. Without freedom of expression, without truth helping us improve, what job satisfaction can they—or any of us hope for?"

Take a look at how KRK has slammed the movie.

Dhurandhar is set to release in two parts; the first part, which is releasing tomorrow, will have a four-minute post-credits scene. According to sources, the scene serves as a trailer for Dhurandhar Part 2, continuing the story from where the first film ends.