Highlights:
- Ram Gopal Varma says the success of Aditya Dhar has forced filmmakers to rethink large-scale storytelling.
- According to Ram Gopal Varma, several big-budget action films are being reworked after Dhar’s projects raised expectations.
- Ram Gopal Varma believes the industry is closely watching Dhar and actor Yami Gautam and waiting for them to “fumble and fall.”
- Ram Gopal Varma also praised the trailer of Dhurandhar: The Revenge, describing it as “stratospheric level.”
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma says the success of director Aditya Dhar has created unease within parts of the film industry, as his style of filmmaking is pushing studios and directors to rethink how large-scale action films are made.
In comments to Rediff, Ram Gopal Varma said Dhar’s work has had a wide influence across the Indian film industry. According to Ram Gopal Varma, the director’s storytelling approach has raised expectations for scale, staging and narrative structure in commercial cinema.
“You have to understand what Aditya Dhar has done to the movie business,” he said. “He has changed the entire grammar of storytelling on screen. Our movies will never be the same again, and I am talking about all the languages, not only Hindi.”
Ram Gopal Varma suggested that Dhar’s films have forced many producers and directors to reconsider projects already in development. In particular, Ram Gopal Varma pointed to large-budget action films in regional industries that are being revised or reshot after Dhar’s success.
“Many of the forthcoming big-budget action films are undergoing massive reshooting. Which means huge budgetary liabilities,” he said. “So, of course, they hate him. He has forced them to get out of their comfort zones.”
According to Ram Gopal Varma, the shift is not limited to Hindi cinema. He said filmmakers working in several language industries are re-evaluating the scale and execution of their projects because audience expectations have changed.
Ram Gopal Varma warns of industry pressure on Aditya Dhar and Yami Gautam
Ram Gopal Varma also said that the growing success of Aditya Dhar and actor Yami Gautam could bring additional scrutiny from within the industry.
Gautam has recently received attention for her performance in the courtroom drama Haq, directed by Suparn Verma. The film has drawn discussion around Gautam’s role and her recent career choices.
According to Ram Gopal Varma, success in the film business often attracts criticism and increased pressure. He said both Dhar and Gautam will need to proceed carefully as their careers continue to gain visibility
“Aditya Dhar and Yami Gautam will have to move forward with extra caution,” he said. “The film industry is waiting for them to fumble and fall.”
Ram Gopal Varma suggested that such scrutiny is common when filmmakers or actors begin to influence the commercial direction of the industry. In his view, rapid success can often create competition and resentment among rivals.
Ram Gopal Varma praises the trailer of Dhurandhar: The Revenge
Ram Gopal Varma has also spoken publicly about Dhar’s upcoming film Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which is the sequel to the espionage thriller Dhurandhar.
After watching the trailer, Ram Gopal Varma shared his reaction online and described the preview as being at a “stratospheric level.” He also wrote that Dhar was “on a rampage of revenge.”
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film features a large ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan and Arjun Rampal.
The Dhurandhar franchise is inspired by real events and focuses on intelligence operations connected to cross-border espionage. The story follows an undercover Indian intelligence operative working deep inside Karachi.
In the sequel, the narrative continues the story of Jaskirat Singh Rangi, also known as Hamza Ali Mazari. The character is embedded within Pakistan’s criminal underworld while pursuing an operative linked to the ISI.
Ram Gopal Varma says industry expectations are shifting
Through his comments, Ram Gopal Varma argued that Aditya Dhar’s work represents a turning point in how large commercial films are conceived and produced. According to Ram Gopal Varma, the impact is already visible in the way filmmakers are revising upcoming projects.
Ram Gopal Varma’s remarks highlight a broader discussion within the industry about scale, storytelling and audience expectations. Whether Dhar’s influence continues to reshape the industry remains to be seen, but Ram Gopal Varma believes the shift has already begun.
For Ram Gopal Varma, the message is clear: the success of Aditya Dhar has pushed the film business to adapt, and that adjustment is still unfolding.
