The blockbuster film Dhurandhar continues its historic run at the global box office and is on track to cross the Rs 900 crore mark worldwide. While the espionage thriller has received widespread praise, it has also attracted controversy after YouTuber Dhruv Rathee labelled the movie a “propaganda film” in a recent video.
Now, actor Naveen Kaushik, who portrayed the character Donga in the film, has addressed the criticism.
“He Got Some Views Because of Us”
Speaking to SCREEN, Naveen Kaushik dismissed Rathee’s claims and suggested that the YouTuber benefited from the film’s popularity.
“He is an opinionated person. I am associated with the film; I obviously don’t agree with him,” Kaushik said.
“He got some views because of us; congratulations.”
His comments echo reactions from others in the industry, including actress Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who had earlier criticised Rathee on social media for repeatedly discussing the film.
About Dhruv Rathee’s Video
In his now-controversial video, Rathee claimed that director Aditya Dhar’s film promotes “dangerous propaganda” and is built on misinformation. Following strong backlash from viewers, Rathee reportedly disabled the comments section on the video.
Dhurandhar’s Record-Breaking Performance
Despite the debate, Dhurandhar continues to dominate the box office. The film has already collected more than Rs 589 crore in India since its theatrical release on December 5, 2025, and global earnings are approaching Rs 900 crore.
The film stars Ranveer Singh in the lead role, alongside an ensemble cast including Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun, Naveen Kaushik, Danish Pandor, Gaurav Gera, Saumya Tandon, and Naseem Mughal.
What’s Next for the Franchise
Riding on the massive success of the first installment, the makers have confirmed that Dhurandhar 2 is scheduled for theatrical release on March 19, 2026.
As the film’s numbers continue to rise, the controversy appears to have done little to slow down its momentum — if anything, it has only amplified the conversation around one of 2025’s biggest cinematic successes.
