Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Jan 9: Filmmaker Aditya Dhar continues to receive widespread acclaim from across the film fraternity as his gangster actioner ‘Dhurandhar’ inches closer to the Rs 800 crore mark at the Indian box office, having already crossed Rs 790 crore.

Several prominent filmmakers, including Ram Gopal Varma, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, and Karan Johar, have publicly praised Dhar’s work. The latest to join the list is veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan, who also served as a mentor to Dhar during the early stages of his career.

Aditya Dhar had earlier worked with Priyadarshan as a dialogue writer on films such as ‘Tezz’ and ‘Aakrosh’. Taking to Instagram, Priyadarshan shared a behind-the-scenes photograph from the sets of Tezz, showing a young Aditya in discussion with him.

“There is no greater happiness than watching my disciple rise with such remarkable success,” Priyadarshan wrote. “Congratulations Aditya Dhar on Dhurandhar, and heartfelt best wishes for Dhurandhar 2.”

An emotional Aditya Dhar responded with a heartfelt message, expressing gratitude to his mentor. “You believed in me when I was a nobody, when all I had was conviction and a few written pages,” he wrote, adding that Priyadarshan gave him “dignity, trust, and love” beyond professional opportunities.

“In an industry where I often learnt what not to do, you taught me exactly what to do — not just as a filmmaker, but as a human being,” Dhar wrote, stating that he would “forever remain your student first.”

Meanwhile, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap also weighed in on Dhurandhar, describing the filmmaking as “top notch”. Writing on Letterboxd, Kashyap said that while opinions on the film’s politics may vary, he respects Dhar’s honesty.

“Agree or disagree with it, the man is honest. Not an opportunist like others. All his films are about Kashmir. He is a Kashmiri Pandit who has suffered,” Kashyap wrote, adding that he may debate the film’s politics directly with Dhar but could not deny its significance.

Dhurandhar is the first part of a two-part gangster saga, with the second instalment scheduled for release on Eid 2026. The sequel is expected to face stiff competition at the box office, clashing with Rocking Star Yash’s ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups’.