Ranvir Shorey Says Blockbusters Like Dhurandhar Won’t Help Indie Films: 'Gatekeeping Is Similar...'

There’s been a lot of conversation lately about how cinema is changing in India, especially when it comes to the space smaller films are getting. Against that backdrop, actor Ranvir Shorey has shared his candid view on where independent storytelling currently stands in the industry.

Shorey, who has long been associated with indie and content-driven cinema, is currently promoting his upcoming project Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a crime thriller directed by Rajat Kapoor. The film also adds to his continued presence in character-led, smaller-scale storytelling.

In a recent interview with PTI, the actor reflected on how opportunities for independent films have shifted over time. He pointed out that while streaming platforms once appeared to open

new doors, the space has become increasingly restricted. “It’s not a great time right now for smaller films like our film. Earlier, the theatrical system was difficult for smaller independent films because of the big films and big star system. Then the streaming platforms came, and it became some kind of respite for these kinds of films. But now again, we see even on streaming platforms, the gatekeeping is becoming similar to how it was in the theatrical system,” the actor said.

Shorey further explained that the core difference lies in the nature of storytelling itself, suggesting that smaller films operate in a very different creative space compared to big-budget productions. He also expressed scepticism about whether the success of large-scale blockbusters would necessarily benefit independent cinema.

“I really don’t see how the success of a film like Dhurandhar will help films like ‘Sohrab Handa’ because these films are not about spectacle. They are about characters, about cinematic excellence without the scale, the grandeur and the budget. One hopes that, just as the industry evolved from theatrical to television to streaming, the internet itself will eventually offer solutions for this as well,” he said.

The reference comes in the context of the recent success of Dhurandhar, the high-budget spy franchise directed by Aditya Dhar and led by Ranveer Singh. The first instalment, released in December, reportedly earned around ₹1300 crore worldwide, while its sequel, released in March, has crossed ₹1600 crore globally. The films also feature Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, and Sanjay Dutt in key roles.

Despite the dominance of such large-scale releases at the box office, Shorey’s focus remains on smaller, content-heavy narratives. His upcoming film, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, is currently streaming on ZEE5 and features a mystery-driven plot set around an anniversary celebration gone wrong. The story unfolds after a much-disliked guest, Sohrab Handa, is found murdered in an old mansion, turning a festive gathering into a tense investigation.