How a former lyricist became India's most successful director of high-grossing blockbusters
In short: Aditya Dhar transitioned from writing lyrics and assistant directing to becoming a powerhouse in Indian cinema. After his directorial debut, Uri: The Surgical Strike, he achieved historic box office success with the Dhurandhar duology, becoming only the second Indian director to helm two films that each grossed over ₹1,000 crore.
Born in 1983, Aditya Dhar’s path to filmmaking was unconventional. Struggling with dyslexia during his school years, he pivoted toward theatre and storytelling, eventually working with the Delhi Music Theatre. His early career in Mumbai involved writing lyrics and serving as an assistant director on various projects. His initial directorial attempt, Raat Baaki, was shelved in 2016 following the Uri attack and the subsequent ban on Pakistani artists in India. This setback ultimately led him to create his 2019 breakthrough, Uri: The Surgical Strike, which earned him a National Film Award for Best Direction.
Dhar’s recent work, particularly the Dhurandhar duology released in 2025 and 2026, has solidified his status as a commercial titan. Dhurandhar (2025) became the fourth Hindi film to cross the ₹1,000 crore mark worldwide, while its sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, achieved similar heights within a week of its release. By the end of its fifth week, the sequel had grossed over ₹1,850 crore. His approach is noted for its technical scale, including a preference for real-world explosions and practical action sequences over CGI, a style that has earned both viral internet acclaim and comparisons to international thrillers like Zero Dark Thirty.
Despite his commercial dominance, Dhar’s work frequently sparks debate. Critics often praise his direction, ensemble casting, and world-building, yet his films—ranging from war dramas to spy thrillers—are frequently contested for their blend of fact and fiction and alleged nationalist undertones. While some industry peers like Anurag Kashyap and S. S. Rajamouli have lauded his courageous mainstream execution, others have questioned the political messaging within his narratives. As he considers his next project, including potential historical dramas or a reboot of his shelved 2021 film The Immortal Ashwatthama, Dhar remains a central, if polarizing, figure in modern Indian cinema.
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