Filmmaker Shazia Iqbal has openly criticized the blockbuster film ‘Dhurandhar’, calling it a movie that promotes destruction, hatred, and violence. Iqbal, known for directing Dhadak 2, shared her opinion on social media, sparking debate and discussions online.
Shazia Iqbal’s Critique
Without directly naming the film initially, Iqbal posted on Instagram after watching Dhurandhar on Netflix on 30 January. She wrote:
“How sinister this film is. It’s not hidden, nor was it made unintentionally. Spreading hatred and inciting violence seems to be in its DNA.”
In a subsequent post, she added:
“But it is well-made. The background music is cool. Kudos to the industry friends for their work. It is concerning that many do not seem to care about minorities while covering up such a massive oversight.”
Iqbal later explicitly named Dhurandhar in another post, addressing comparisons being made between Dhadak 2 and Dhurandhar, and questioned:
“People are saying Dhadak 2 and Dhurandhar are similar films. Have people developed schizophrenia, or are we really so critical?”
She also criticized the teaser of Vipul Shah’s ‘The Kerala Story 2’, pairing it with the patriotic song “Ye Jo Desh Hai Tera” from the film Swades, and later made her Instagram account private after her posts went viral.
Box Office Performance
Despite the criticism, Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar has been a massive commercial success:
- India Gross: ₹1,000 crore
- Worldwide Gross: ₹1,300 crore
- Its song FA9LA entered the Guinness World Records.
- The sequel, Dhurandhar 2, is scheduled for release on 19 March, clashing with Yash’s ‘Toxic’, followed by Ram Charan’s ‘Peddy’ on 27 March.
In comparison, Shazia Iqbal’s Dhadak 2 earned modestly:
- India Net Collection: ₹22.45 crore
- Worldwide Gross: ₹31.5 crore
- Overseas Collection: ₹4.6 crore
Released on 1 August 2025, Dhadak 2 featured Siddhant Chaturvedi and Tripti Dimri under the Dharma Productions banner.
About Shazia Iqbal
Born in 1984 in Patna into a Muslim family, Shazia Iqbal studied art before learning filmmaking at MET Film School. She began her career in advertising and later worked as a production designer in the film industry. Her short film Bebak won Best Short Film (Fiction) at the 65th Filmfare Awards and received the Audience Choice Award at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. Dhadak 2 was her first feature film.
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