Dhurandhar's explosive adoration continues: Priyadarshan hails his former student's Rs10 billion smash

Dubai: Veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan has expressed heartfelt pride in the success of Dhurandhar, calling the film’s triumph a deeply personal moment as it marks the rise of his former student and long-time collaborator, Aditya Dhar.

Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Priyadarshan shared a nostalgic behind-the-scenes photograph from one of their earlier projects, reflecting on Dhar’s journey from an aspiring writer to one of the industry’s most successful directors today. He described watching his protégé flourish as one of the most fulfilling experiences of his career.

“There is no greater happiness than seeing my disciple achieve such remarkable success,” Priyadarshan wrote.

“Congratulations Aditya Dhar on Dhurandhar, and my heartfelt wishes for Dhurandhar 2.”

The post drew an emotional response from Dhar, who credited Priyadarshan for shaping not just his professional path, but his values as a filmmaker and as a person. Thanking his mentor for believing in him at a time when he had little more than conviction and a few written pages, Dhar recalled how Priyadarshan treated him as an equal and offered him dignity, trust and unwavering support.

“In an industry where I often learned what not to do, you taught me exactly what to do — not just as a filmmaker, but as a human being,” Dhar wrote. He added that every milestone in his journey, from writing dialogues for Aakrosh and Tezz to directing Dhurandhar, carries his mentor’s imprint. “I will forever be your student first. This success is as much yours as it is mine.”

Dhurandhar has continued its remarkable run at the box office since its theatrical release on December 5. The spy thriller, led by Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, has emerged as one of the highest-grossing films in Indian cinema, earning over Rs8 billion in India alone, according to industry tracker Sacnilk.

Set against the backdrop of major geopolitical and terror events, the film also features Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, R Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi, Saumya Tandon and Gaurav Gera.

Presented by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, and produced by Aditya Dhar, Jyoti Deshpande and Lokesh Dhar, the film’s sequel, Dhurandhar 2, is slated for a theatrical release on March 19.