The digital debut of Aditya Dhar’s spy-thriller blockbuster, Dhurandhar, was supposed to be a victory lap for Ranveer Singh and Netflix. While many viewers have welcomed it with open arms, there is a noticeable section of people who are frustrated with the movie’s OTT release.
For weeks, the hype was real. After raking in over INR 1,300 crore at the global box office and becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film domestically, Dhurandhar was expected to explode on Netflix. Fans who missed the theatrical run and those who wanted to relive the “raw and gritty” experience logged in at midnight on January 30, only to find a version of the film that felt “cleansed” and “diluted.”
The ultimate issue? The censorship. Despite carrying an ‘A’ (Adults Only) certification, the Netflix version features numerous muted dialogues and censored expletives. For a film that depicts the high-stakes, brutal underworld of Karachi, viewers argue that the “gaalis” (abuses) aren’t just fluff, they are essential to the film’s natural, raw vibe.
It’s not just the audio. Sharp-eyed fans noticed a significant discrepancy in the runtime. The theatrical version clocked in at roughly 214 minutes, while the Netflix version sits at around 205 minutes.
While some industry insiders suggest the time difference is due to the frame-rate conversion (24fps in theatres vs. 25fps on digital), many fans are convinced that nearly 10 minutes of footage, including crucial confrontational scenes, have been left on the cutting floor.
The logic of censoring a film on a subscription-based, age-gated platform has left many baffled. Fans are asking why Hollywood titles on the same platform can feature nudity and extreme violence without a single “beep,” while a homegrown blockbuster is subjected to moral policing.
The message is clear. Fans want the uncut and uncensored version of Dhurandhar. In an era where audiences pay for premium content to escape the rigid constraints of traditional broadcast TV, a muted version of the Ranveer Singh starrer feels like a step backwards.
With the sequel, Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge, eyeing an Eid release on March 19, 2026, the demand for the original cut has never been higher. Stay tuned for more updates.