Released on March 19, Dhurandhar: The Revenge continues to dominate the box office. However, much like its predecessor, the film has sparked a sharply divided response—while many have loved the film, it has also drawn sharp criticism from public figures across spaces. Among the latest to weigh in is Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who didn’t hold back while sharing his views about the film.‘Teen ghante bakwaas’At a summit hosted by Times Now, when asked about the Dhurandhar films, Owaisi dismissed them outright.“Picture hai vo? Teen ghante bakwaas. (Is that even a film? It’s three hours of nonsense). I don’t have the time to watch a film for three hours. I can only hope that people listen to me speak for one hour. What is even there in the film other than cuss words, promoting violence, and after three hours, it makes you wonder if you must cuss at Muslims or not. Who has the time to watch all this?”When the host pointed out the film’s global popularity, Owaisi responded with a Hyderabad saying, “Hum Hyderabad mai bolte hai ki, pyaare, in cheezon ko dil pe mat lo, murde pe lo. To hum murde pe leke chorr dete hai usko. (We have a saying in Hyderabad. Dear, do not take it to heart, take it to the grave. So, we take it to the grave and let it go).”ALSO READ: Dhurandhar 2 Worldwide Box Office Collection Day 9 LIVE UpdatesDhruv Rathee slams Dhurandhar 2Earlier on Friday, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee also criticised the Aditya Dhar directorial in his YouTube video.Rathee argued that the film goes beyond entertainment. “Dhurandhar 2 is not a film made for entertainment… it is the BJP’s most expensive election advertisement, for which you pay Rs 500 to watch,” he said, calling the film’s director a “sycophant”.Story continues below this adHe also critcised how the film handles real-world events, particularly demonetisation. According to Rathee, the narrative frames the 2016 move as a targeted national security operation, while downplaying its wider consequences, including economic disruption and reported deaths due to cash shortages.He described the film’s approach as “gaslighting.” “When this kind of gaslighting happens on a massive scale… it stops being just a film. It becomes a weapon,” he said.Rathee concluded by calling Dhurandhar 2 “peak advertising” rather than “peak cinema”.Dhurandhar 2 box office collectionDirected by Aditya Dhar, the Dhurandhar franchise has emerged as one of the biggest box office successes in recent years. The first film, released in December last year, collected Rs 840 crore in India and over Rs 1300 crore worldwide.Story continues below this adThe sequel, released on March 19, has already crossed Rs 715 crore in India and Rs 1128 crore globally, making it the highest-grossing film of 2026 so far.Starring Ranveer Singh as Indian spy Jaskirat Singh Rangi, also known as Hamza Ali Mazari, the film follows his mission to infiltrate a Baloch gang in Lyari under the direction of IB officer Ajay Sanyal, played by R. Madhavan.The ensemble cast includes Sara Arjun, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, Sanjay Dutt, Gaurav Gera and Danish Pandor, among others.The views expressed in this article are personal opinions regarding a cinematic work. Readers are encouraged to exercise independent judgment when engaging with content involving social or political narratives.