Ranveer Singh’s spy thriller Dhurandhar has been cleared by the CBFC with an A certificate after a fresh review ordered by the Delhi High Court. With a runtime of 214 minutes, it is now the longest Bollywood film since Jodhaa Akbar (2008). The board reiterated the film is fictional and not based on martyr Major Mohit Sharma’s life.
Lengthy thriller, legal overhang
Trade reports peg Dhurandhar’s final runtime at 3 hours 34 minutes, following minor cuts and dialogue tweaks sought by the censor board to tone down graphic violence and political references. This makes it the longest mainstream Hindi release in nearly two decades, led by an ensemble cast around Ranveer Singh in an espionage narrative spanning multiple countries and time periods.
Key highlights
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The Delhi High Court had asked CBFC to re‑examine Dhurandhar after Major Mohit Sharma’s parents alleged the plot mirrored the officer’s covert operations without consent.
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After a second screening, CBFC concluded the film is “purely fictional” with “no direct or indirect resemblance” to Major Sharma, and said Army review was unnecessary.
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Director Aditya Dhar issued an official clarification to Major Sharma’s family, stating Dhurandhar is not a biopic and promising any future film on the officer would be made only with their full involvement.
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The film has been granted an A certificate, Ranveer Singh’s first adults-only release, with added disclaimers that characters and events bear no relation to real persons or operations.
Dhurandhar is slated to hit theatres on December 5, with exhibitors betting that the extended runtime will not deter audiences drawn by its scale, star cast and controversy-fuelled buzz.
Sources: NDTV Entertainment; Times of India Entertainment; Indian Express; India Today; Hindustan Times; LiveLaw coverage of the Delhi High Court proceedings