Aditya Dhar Thanks Mentor Priyadarshan After Dhurandhar: ‘Forever Your Student’

Aditya Dhar’s journey in Bollywood has come full circle with the massive success of Dhurandhar. Before stepping in as Director, Dhar has worked behind the scenes for many years. He started his career as an assistant director and lyricist. He penned songs for the movies like Haal-e-Dil and Daddy Cool. His big break came after filmmaker Priyadarshan trusted him to write dialogues for his films Aakrosh (2010) and Tezz (2012).

These two films marked Aditya’s entry into mainstream Bollywood and played an important role in shaping his creative journey.

Mentor’s Pride as Priyadarshan Applauds Aditya Dhar’s Success

Amid the phenomenal success of Dhurandhar, Priyadarshan took to Instagram to congratulate Aditya Dhar. Sharing an old photo from a film set,

the veteran filmmaker wrote, “There is no greater happiness than watching my disciple rise with such remarkable success. Congratulations, Aditya Dhar, on Dhurandhar, and heartfelt best wishes for Dhurandhar 2.”

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A post shared by Priyadarshan (@priyadarshan.official)

Reacting to the post, Aditya Dhar shared an emotional message, expressing gratitude towards his mentor. He said Priyadarshan believed in him at a time when no one else did. “You believed in me when I was a nobody, and when all I had was conviction and a few written pages,” Aditya wrote.

He further added that the legendary filmmaker treated him “like an equal” despite his lack of experience and gave him something more valuable than work, “dignity, trust, and love”.

Calling himself a lifelong student, Aditya said, “From writing dialogues for Aakrosh and Tezz to standing here today, every step carries your imprint. I will forever be your student first.”

Dhurandhar’s Record-Breaking Run and Debates

Dhurandhar, a spy thriller starring Ranveer Singh as Hamza, has emerged as one of the biggest blockbusters in recent times, breaking all records. The film, also featuring Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Rakesh Bedi and others, has crossed Rs 790 crore in India and over Rs 1,200 crore worldwide.

While the film has been praised for its intense action and Ranveer Singh’s performance, it has also sparked political debate. Defending the film, Rumi Jaffery in conversation with Aaj Tak said, “Dhurandhar is not a propaganda film. It keeps people engaged for three hours.”

Columnist Shobhaa De echoed a similar view, stating that every filmmaker brings a political ideology, which should be accepted as part of storytelling.

Dhurandhar 2 Set for March 2026 Release

A sequel, Dhurandhar 2, is slated for release on March 19 and is already among the most anticipated films of the year.