4 min readNew DelhiMay 13, 2026 04:40 PM IST Dhurandhar first released in December last year, yet conversations around the film continue even today — largely because of the film’s scale, storytelling brilliance and audiences’ obsession with filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s “peak detailing” across both Part 1 and Part 2. The nearly eight-hour-long franchise reportedly earned over Rs 3000 crore worldwide despite being mounted on a budget of around Rs 300 crore. Industry insiders now believe the phenomenon was possible not just because of Aditya’s vision, but also because of his deep-rooted influence from 80s and 90s cinema, combined with the unwavering backing of the Ambanis. Speaking on the InControversial Podcast, filmmaker Sanjay Gupta reflected on Aditya Dhar’s filmmaking style and the massive gamble behind the project. “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 …