Kamal Ghorui
‘Dhurandhar’ shattered box office records and ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ is currently on its way to do the same. The film has already crossed Rs 300 crore in cinemas in three days. While the internet can’t stop raving about the film, it has also got criticism for being extremely violent. In a recent interview, the film’s action director Aejaz Gulab revealed that only 60 percent of brutality is shown in the film. “We had shot all the brutality in detail, but what you see in the film is just 60%. Since we’re in the OTT era and kids may eventually watch it, we had to tone it down,” Aejaz shared in an interview with Hindi Rush. Shedding light on the filmmaking process, he added, “Aditya Dhar gave us full freedom. He said, ‘Aejaz bhai, think as brutal as you can. Kill in the most intense ways you can imagine.’ And we did exactly that, while he added his directorial touch. Aditya is extremely calm and sharp-minded, but when it comes to action, his thinking operates on a completely different level.”While many sequences were carefully choreographed, some moments came together spontaneously on set. Aejaz recalled one such instance where a violent scene involving Hamza was improvised during filming. “A lot of ideas were created on the spot. Aditya wanted the action to feel ‘manly’—not just simple pushes or throws,” he explained.The film’s climactic stretch, which runs for over half an hour, proved especially demanding. According to Aejaz, the masjid sequence alone required six days of rehearsal and 14 days of shooting. Maintaining continuity across such an extended sequence was no easy feat, with every department, from hair and makeup to costumes, meticulously documenting each detail to ensure consistency.He also spoke about the intense chain fight between Arjun Rampal and Ranveer Singh, where Rampal’s character nearly strangles Ranveer’s. “We obviously couldn’t use a real chain, so we designed a rubber prop. It wouldn’t cut the skin, but it still caused pain—and Ranveer bore it. So did Arjun. Both of them got injured multiple times during that climax,” he revealed.Despite sustaining injuries, neither actor eased up. “They wouldn’t stop—even during rehearsals, they pushed each other for real. They were so immersed in the scene that even after getting hurt, they refused to take breaks. We use lighter props for safety, but when used with force, they still hurt. In that chain sequence, we even had to stretch Ranveer Singh’s eyes when Arjun tightened the chain around his face,” he revealed.
