DHURANDHAR
The Complete Universe — Both Films

DHURANDHAR

A Decade-Long Covert War. One Man. Two Films. One India.
2025 Part One
₹1350Cr Part 1 Worldwide
449 Min Total Runtime
2026 The Revenge
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214 Part 1 Runtime (min)
235 Part 2 Runtime (min)
₹1350Cr Part 1 Box Office
7.6M Netflix Views (Week 1)
22 Countries Trending
The Duology

Both Films

Directed by Aditya Dhar. Shot concurrently. Split in post-production. The complete story of Operation Dhurandhar.

1
Released — 5 December 2025
DHURANDHAR
An undercover RAW operative infiltrates Karachi's most dangerous criminal underworld — the Lyari gang — run by the feared Rehman Dakait. Over years of deep cover, he rises through the ranks while dismantling the ISI-underworld nexus that has been funding terrorism against India. Set against the backdrop of 1999–2009, the film blends the IC-814 hijacking, the 2001 Parliament attack, and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
214 minRuntime
₹1,350 CrWorldwide
7.6MNetflix Views
2
Released — 19 March 2026
DHURANDHAR: THE REVENGE
With Rehman Dakait dead, Hamza Ali Mazari — now fully consumed by his alias — takes over Lyari and moves deeper into the terror network. He targets "Bade Sahab", the ultimate mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks. The sequel is angrier, darker, and more personal as Hamza's revenge transforms him from a patriot into a weapon of the state — one who may never find his way back to who he was.
235 minRuntime
7 ChaptersStructure
Mar 19, 2026Release
Full Cast Breakdown

Every Character

Every major player — their role in the film, their arc across both parts, and the real person who inspired them.

Ranveer Singh
Hamza Ali Mazari
Real name: Jaskirat Singh Rangi / Karanveer
RAW Operative Deep Cover
The heart of the entire duology. A Punjabi man from Pathankot who loses his family to a violent land dispute — his father killed, his sister murdered, another abducted. Sentenced to death after his revenge, he is recruited by IB Director Ajay Sanyal for a near-impossible mission: infiltrate the heart of Karachi's underworld as "Hamza", a Pakistani Muslim. Over a decade he rises through the gang hierarchy, maintaining cover while feeding intelligence to India. By The Revenge, the line between Hamza and Jaskirat dissolves entirely — the mission devours the man. He survives but is permanently broken.
Real Inspiration Inspired by Major Mohit Sharma (Ashoka Chakra), who infiltrated Hizbul Mujahideen as "Iftikhar Bhatt", earned terrorists' trust, and was martyred in 2009 in Kupwara after eliminating four militants. His parents filed a case to stop the film's release.
Akshaye Khanna
Rehman Dakait
Also known as: Ujjer (alter ego)
Gang Leader Political Operator
The film's most memorable character. Rehman runs Lyari like a corporate CEO — cold, intelligent, methodical. He doesn't shout, doesn't rush. He controls crime, politics, and terror logistics as a single integrated system. His dancing scene to a Bahraini rap song went viral. In the climax of Part 1, Ayesha confronts him using his alter ego "Ujjer" and is killed, sending Hamza into John Wick mode. Rehman's arc is Part 1's spine. His death at the end of Part 1 sets up The Revenge.
Real Inspiration Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch — the real Rehman Dakait — ran Lyari's underworld, formed the People's Aman Committee, and held political connections. He was killed in a 2009 police encounter widely believed to be politically motivated.
R. Madhavan
Ajay Sanyal
IB Director / Operation Architect
IB Director Strategist
The mastermind who launches Operation Dhurandhar. Frustrated by India's weak response to Pakistani terror attacks, he recruits Jaskirat and engineers the entire decade-long covert operation. He preserves evidence of a corrupt minister's links to Pakistani counterfeit currency rackets, waiting for a political moment to act. His iconic line: "India's biggest enemies are Indians themselves." Sanyal operates in moral grey zones, sending a man to psychological destruction in service of the nation.
Real Inspiration Fashioned closely after Ajit Doval — India's current National Security Advisor — known for his deep-cover intelligence work in Pakistan and militant networks in the 1980s–90s.
Sanjay Dutt
Chaudhary Aslam
Pakistan's Toughest Cop
SSP Karachi Anti-Terror
A hardened Pakistani police officer loyal to no ideology — only to order and law. He hunts criminals, terrorists, and political pawns with equal ruthlessness, making him dangerous and unpredictable for all sides including Hamza. Sanjay Dutt reportedly drew from personal life experience for this role. He creates massive tension in both films as someone who could expose Hamza at any moment — yet his own code makes him a strange non-villain. His unpredictability is his defining trait.
Real Inspiration Chaudhry Aslam Khan — Pakistan's most feared cop. Led anti-terror operations in Karachi, survived multiple assassination attempts, and was killed in a 2014 Taliban suicide bomb attack after dismantling major criminal networks.
Arjun Rampal
Major Iqbal
ISI Handler / Primary Antagonist
ISI Officer True Villain
The ISI Major who is the embodiment of cruelty in the franchise. He operates as the handler connecting Pakistan's intelligence apparatus to the Lyari underworld and the terror network behind 26/11. He is the final boss — the man Hamza must ultimately destroy. In Part 1, Hamza kills him in a brutal close-quarters fight after Ayesha's death, barely surviving and defusing a bomb. In The Revenge, the threat he represents expands beyond his personal role. Arjun Rampal's most intense performance.
Fictional Composite A fictional amalgamation of ISI handlers who managed Lashkar-e-Taiba's operations against India, including links to the 26/11 planning infrastructure.
Sara Arjun
Ayesha
Hamza's emotional anchor
Love Interest Tragic Arc
In a film of stone-faced spies and ruthless killers, Ayesha is Hamza's only human connection. She is the anchor that keeps Jaskirat alive inside the shell of Hamza. In a devastating scene, she confronts Rehman Dakait using his alter ego "Ujjer" — and is killed. Her death is the emotional turning point of both films. It transforms Hamza from a controlled operative into a man of pure grief and rage. The audience's collective heartbreak in theatres was reported widely. She doesn't survive to Part 2.
Fictional Character Entirely fictional — representing the human cost paid by deep-cover operatives who must abandon all personal attachments, and the tragedy when those connections form anyway.
Rakesh Bedi
Devavrat Kapoor
Minister of External Affairs
Minister Political Operator
The politician who ultimately authorises Operation Dhurandhar after initially being paralysed by bureaucratic timidity. In the opening sequence, he negotiates the Kandahar IC-814 deal — releasing terrorists including Zahoor Mistry's brother. Sanyal preserves evidence of a different minister's alleged links to Pakistani counterfeit currency rackets, with Kapoor noting future political change will be needed to act on it. Rakesh Bedi's character notably drives cars that didn't exist in 2007–09 (the W222 Mercedes) — a widely noted continuity error.
Real Inspiration Loosely inspired by the political dynamics of the era, particularly around the controversial Kandahar negotiations where India released three terrorists including Maulana Masood Azhar.
Gaurav Gera
Jameel Jamali
Fan favourite comic relief
Gang Member
The most beloved side character in the franchise. Jameel cuts through the relentless darkness of the film with sharp comic timing that never feels forced or out of place. He is embedded in Lyari's criminal world but provides crucial moments of levity that make the audience breathe again. In The Revenge, his character gets more screen time and is frequently cited by reviewers as the standout of Part 2. The consensus: "Jameel Jamali is so fun, my favorite character of this franchise."
Fictional Character A completely original character designed to humanise the Lyari milieu and provide tonal contrast in a relentlessly brutal narrative.
Manav Gohil
Bade Sahab
The Mastermind — Part 2 Villain
Terror Mastermind ISI Network
The true architect behind India's terror attacks — the man behind Rehman Dakait and Major Iqbal. After Rehman's death, Hamza grows close to Bade Sahab as part of Phase Two of Operation Dhurandhar. He represents the highest level of the ISI-underworld-terror nexus. In The Revenge, Hamza systematically eliminates every target in his post-credits diary, with Bade Sahab as the final objective. His character connects the 26/11 attacks to the broader counterfeit currency operation exposed in Part 1.
Fictional Composite A composite villain drawing from multiple figures in Pakistan's deep state who allegedly provided strategic and financial support to the 26/11 Mumbai attack planners.
Chronological Events

Complete Timeline

Every key event across both films — from the 1999 IC-814 hijacking to the final climax of The Revenge.

1999
Reality Inspired
IC-814 Kandahar Negotiations
Minister Kapoor and IB Director Sanyal negotiate with terrorist Zahoor Mistry. India releases three terrorists including Mistry's brother and pays $10M ransom for airline passengers. Sanyal is furious. The seeds of Operation Dhurandhar are planted in his frustration.
2000
Fiction
Jaskirat's Origin — The Loss
Young Jaskirat Singh Rangi from Pathankot leaves for military training. During his absence, MLA Sukhwinder Singh orchestrates a brutal land dispute — his father is killed, his elder sister is gang-raped and murdered, his younger sister Jasleen is abducted. He returns, arms himself with friend Gurbaaz, eliminates the perpetrators, and rescues Jasleen. He is arrested and sentenced to death.
2001
Reality Inspired
Parliament Attack — Operation Authorised
Following the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, Minister Kapoor secretly authorises Sanyal's "Operation Dhurandhar." RAW Special Secretary K.S. Bhullar had previously rejected the plan. Sanyal recruits Jaskirat from death row, offering him a chance to serve India. Jaskirat becomes "Hamza Ali Mazari."
2003–2007
Fiction
Infiltration of Lyari
Hamza arrives in Karachi and slowly infiltrates the Lyari underworld. He earns trust through strategic loyalty, brutality when required, and quiet intelligence. He rises through the ranks of Rehman Dakait's gang while feeding information back to Sanyal's operation. He meets Ayesha and finds his only human anchor in years of isolation.
2008
Reality Inspired
Sanyal Preserves Evidence
Sanyal discovers a union minister's links to Pakistan's counterfeit currency operation — a massive destabilisation scheme targeting India's economy. He tells his subordinates there is no point reporting to corrupt superiors: "Preserve the evidence, hopefully a politician comes in the future who will act." A deliberate reference to the coming Modi government in 2014.
26/11 — 2008
Reality Inspired
Mumbai Attacks
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks occur. The film splices in actual transcripts of terrorist conversations displayed on a red screen — a technique criticised by some as incendiary. Hamza's mission expands: it is no longer just about dismantling Lyari, but avenging the attacks and eliminating the network responsible. This is the emotional fuel that drives The Revenge.
2009 — Part 1 Climax
Fiction
Ayesha's Death & Rehman Falls
Ayesha confronts Rehman Dakait using his alter ego "Ujjer" — and is killed in front of Hamza. The emotional devastation triggers Hamza's most violent transformation. He kills ISI Major Iqbal in a brutal hand-to-hand fight, barely survives, and defuses a bomb. Rehman Dakait is eliminated. Hamza lies critically injured. A post-credits scene sets up The Revenge — a diary of remaining targets.
2010–2014 — Part 2
Fiction
Hamza Takes Lyari. Hunts Bade Sahab.
With Rehman dead, Hamza takes control of Lyari and grows close to Bade Sahab — the ultimate terror mastermind. He continues feeding intel while systematically eliminating targets from his diary. The film references the 2014 Indian elections, demonetisation, and Operation Lyari — connecting fictional events to real political milestones. Phase Two of Operation Dhurandhar unfolds in brutal, chapter-by-chapter precision.
The Revenge — Finale
Fiction
The Hollow Victory
Hamza executes the final target. The mission is complete. But Jaskirat Singh Rangi no longer exists. The decade of deep cover has permanently erased his humanity. He survives physically but is, as the film makes brutally clear, a hollowed-out weapon of the state. "The line between patriot and monster disappears in the streets of Lyari." India wins. Hamza loses everything.
Moments That Defined the Films

Iconic Scenes

The scenes the internet talked about. The moments that stayed with audiences long after leaving the theatre.

01
Dhurandhar — Part 1
Rehman Dakait's Entry Dance
The scene that broke the internet. Akshaye Khanna as Rehman Dakait, carefree and unsettling, dancing to Bahraini rapper Flipperachi's "FA9LA." A villain entry unlike anything Bollywood had seen — no slow-mo, no guns. Just terrifying calm and rhythm. Reviewers called it "the most memorable scene in the film" and a testament to what Indian cinema can do when it stops being afraid of nuance. The song became a massive cultural moment.
02
Dhurandhar — Part 1
The Bike Chase Through Lyari
A visceral, ground-level chase through the narrow lanes of Lyari's underworld that audiences called one of the finest action sequences in Indian cinema. No CGI excess, no gravity-defying stunts — just raw, brutal, physically real filmmaking. Shashwat Sachdev's score pounds relentlessly beneath it. This scene alone justified the decision to shoot in Thailand as a proxy for Karachi.
03
Dhurandhar — Part 1
Ayesha's Death — Hamza Breaks
The emotional apex of the entire duology. When Ayesha confronts Rehman using his alter ego "Ujjer" and is killed, the film shifts tectonic plates. Ranveer Singh's performance in the aftermath — pure grief, rage, and dissolution — is the scene every review mentions. Audiences reportedly wept. It is the moment where Jaskirat truly dies and only Hamza remains. The most painful scene in a film full of pain.
04
Dhurandhar — Part 1
The Red Screen — 26/11 Transcripts
The film splices in typewritten transcripts of actual terrorist conversations during the 26/11 attacks, displayed on a blood-red screen. The most controversial technique in the film — celebrated by some as viscerally effective and condemned by others as designed to incite anger. Whatever one's view, it is cinematically unforgettable and the most debated sequence in the entire franchise.
05
Dhurandhar — Part 1
Sanyal's "India's Biggest Enemies" Monologue
R. Madhavan, in one quietly devastating scene, looks directly at the camera and delivers the film's philosophical core: "India's biggest enemies are Indians themselves." Set in 2008, watching corruption protect those who fund terrorism against their own country. Madhavan's stillness in this scene is masterful — the strategist who sees everything, can act on nothing, and must simply wait.
06
The Revenge — Part 2
Hamza's Final Reckoning
The climax of The Revenge. After 229 minutes of chess through Lyari's underworld, Hamza executes the last name in his diary. Ranveer Singh carries this scene on pure performance — the physicality of a man who has won everything and lost himself. The final twenty minutes were described as "silently dismantling the entire Indian espionage genre." Audiences reported crying not from grief, but from the crushing weight of a hollow victory.
Separating the Layers

Fiction vs Reality

What the film changed, what it kept, and where cinema and history meet — and where they deliberately diverge.

🎬 In the Film

Hamza / Jaskirat

A fictional RAW operative from Pathankot who infiltrates Karachi's Lyari gang over a decade. His identity is destroyed by the mission. He survives but is permanently broken.

Operation Dhurandhar

A covert operation authorised after the 2001 Parliament attack — placing a deep cover agent inside Pakistan's underworld to dismantle the ISI-terror nexus from within.

Rehman Dakait

A calculating, brilliant gang boss who dances to Bahraini rap and runs Lyari like a corporation. Killed at the end of Part 1 by Hamza.

Chaudhary Aslam

A morally complex Pakistani cop who hunts everyone equally — and serves as Hamza's most dangerous unpredictable variable throughout both films.

Counterfeit Currency Subplot

A union minister is linked to Pakistan's fake currency operation. Evidence preserved for the right future government to act — a clear reference to Modi's 2014 election win.

Demonetisation Connection

The Revenge links demonetisation directly to destroying Pakistan's counterfeit currency networks — framing the 2016 government policy as a covert intelligence victory.

📜 In Real History

Major Mohit Sharma (Real)

The actual inspiration: an Ashok Chakra awardee who infiltrated Hizbul Mujahideen as "Iftikhar Bhatt", eliminated key operatives, and was martyred in Kupwara in 2009. His parents sought to stop the film's release.

IC-814 Hijacking (Real — 1999)

India did release three terrorists including Maulana Masood Azhar (founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed) in exchange for 166 passengers. Widely considered one of India's most controversial counterterrorism decisions.

Real Rehman Dakait

Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch genuinely controlled Lyari, formed the People's Aman Committee, and was killed in a 2009 police encounter. His death remains politically controversial in Pakistan.

Real Chaudhry Aslam Khan

Pakistan's most feared cop actually led anti-terror operations in Karachi, survived multiple assassination attempts, and was killed by a Taliban suicide bomber in 2014.

26/11 Mumbai Attacks (Real — 2008)

10 Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives killed 175 people over 4 days. Intercepts of terrorist communication were used in trials. The film uses real transcripts displayed on screen.

Operation Lyari (Real — 2013)

Pakistan Rangers conducted a real operation against Lyari's criminal networks. The Revenge draws heavily from this operation's timeline and political fallout.