Priyadarshan congratulates his ‘disciple’ Aditya Dhar on Dhurandhar success, director says, ‘I’ll forever be your student first’

Priyadarshan took to social media to congratulate Aditya Dhar on the success of Dhurandhar. (Photo: Priyadarshan, Instagram)

Aditya Dhar is currently earning praise from across the film fraternity for his gangster actioner Dhurandhar, which has crossed Rs 790 crore in India. From Ram Gopal Varma, Sandeep Reddy Vanga to Karan Johar, several filmmakers have publicly expressed admiration for Aditya’s work. The latest to join this list is veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan, who has also been a mentor to Aditya in the early phase of his career. Aditya had previously worked with Priyadarshan as a dialogue writer on films like Tezz and Aakrosh.

Taking to Instagram, Priyadarshan shared a behind-the-scenes photograph from the sets of Tezz, featuring a young Aditya in discussion with him, alongside a caption, which read, “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.”

Aditya was quick to respond with a long, emotional comment, expressing his gratitude to his mentor. He wrote, “My Dearest Priyan Sir… this means more to me than I can ever put into words!! You believed in me when I was a nobody, and when all I had was conviction and a few written pages. You treated me like an equal, and gave me something far more precious than just work – dignity, trust, and love… In an industry where I often learnt what not to do, you taught me exactly what to do, not just as a filmmaker, but as a human being. From writing dialogues for Aakrosh and Tezz to standing here today, every step carries your imprint. I will forever be your student first. Thank you for everything, Sir. This success is as much yours as it is mine.”

More recently, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap also weighed in on Dhurandhar, calling the filmmaking “top notch.” Writing on Letterboxd, Kashyap voiced his support for Aditya, stating, “Agree or disagree with it, the man is honest. Not an opportunist like others. All his films are about Kashmir. He is a Kashmiri Pandit who has suffered. Either you argue with him or let him be.” He further added that while he may debate the politics of Dhurandhar directly with Aditya if he feels the need, but he cannot deny that the film is “significant.”

Dhurandhar is a two-part gangster saga, with its second installment slated for release on Eid 2026. The film is set to clash at the box office with Rocking Star Yash’s Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups.