First things first — Akshaye Khanna’s swag, his ice-cold swagger as the stylish Rehman Dakait, is deeply missed. In fact, he’s the most present character in the film… through his absence. That’s not nostalgia. That’s star power.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge has been one of the most hotly anticipated sequels in recent Bollywood memory — and to its credit, it delivers. It comes in guns blazing… and blood spilling.

Ranveer storms the screen as Jaskirat Singh Rangi from the very first frame—wounded, wild, and unapologetically violent. The story picks up right where it left off, with Hamza diving deeper into the deadly nexus of Karachi gangs, ISI, and terror networks. And then begins the rise as King of Lyari, King of Karachi and Sher-e-Baloch. Not just titles—this is a man dismantling an entire ecosystem of terror, one brutal act at a time.

The film is unabashedly masculine and brawny — more gore, flying limbs, bazookas, and scorching dialogues, all designed to feed the ravenous hunger of its fanbase. But the near-total absence of songs, no emotional counterbalance and any meaningful feminine presence makes it feel uni-dimensional in stretches. Which is precisely why I respectfully but firmly disagree with Ram Gopal Verma’s claim that this film is 100X better than Sholay. It isn’t even in that conversation.

The editing is patchy, the detailing inconsistent, and the Bada Saheb character — which promised so much — turns out to be a significant letdown. The film does find its footing again around the interval and builds momentum from there.

One sequence, however, must be flagged: the brutal beheading-turned-football scene crosses into territory that can only be described as torture porn in its most demonic avatar. Shock value is one thing — this is something else entirely.

And yet, through all of it, Ranveer Singh reigns supreme. His legendary commitment and physical dedication are on full, glorious display. He doesn’t act. He attacks the role. Every frame screams commitment, madness, and method. Rakesh Bedi as the scene-stealing Jameel Jamali and R. Madhavan as the sharp Ajay Sanyal are both top-notch — no complaints there.

Dhurandhar 2 Final Verdict Gripping. Gritty. Technically ambitious. Powered by Ranveer madness. But missing the soul and sharpness of the original.

Worth watching? Go for Ranveer. Enjoy the spectacle. Forgive the rest.