As Yash Raj Films lauds Aditya Dhar, what is the future of the Spy Universe in a post-Dhurandhar world?

A month ago, anticipation hung thick in the air. Aditya Dhar was preparing for the release of his gangster actioner Dhurandhar, led by Ranveer Singh. The odds seemed stacked against the film. Fresh controversies surrounding Ranveer Singh and Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1, only amplified the apprehension. Last-minute cancellations of press shows and reports of full prints failing to reach theaters deepened the uncertainty. Then came December 5th. The film premiered, and from that moment, it never seemed to pause for breath. It shattered historic records, emerging as the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time. On one hand, the box office tells a story of unrelenting success; on the other, the film continues to dominate online conversations. Akshaye Khanna has become a national heartthrob, Rakesh Bedi has rediscovered his groove, and Shashwat Sachdev is now hailed as the next big talent.

Yet amid all this, it is Dhar who remains the center of discourse. Despite his contentious politics, he has earned accolades from filmmakers such as Ram Gopal Varma, Anurag Kashyap, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, and Karan Johar for his audacious vision. Now, Aditya Chopra’s Yash Raj Films has joined this chorus of praise. On Wednesday morning, YRF took to social media to laud Dhar and his team. Their statement read: “Dhurandhar is not merely a film… it is a milestone in Indian cinema that will be remembered forever. Congratulations to Aditya Dhar and Jio Studios for creating the highest-grossing Indian film of all time (in a single language). As the captain of this journey, Aditya Dhar’s clarity of purpose, fearless storytelling, and unwavering commitment to excellence have set a new benchmark. We also congratulate every cast member and technician of this brilliant film for giving their all. You are the Dhurandhars who brought this story to life with such explosive brilliance on the big screen. Thank you for giving us cinema that inspires us to reach further in the pursuit of creative excellence.”

Recognition from India’s most iconic legacy studio is a triumph for the Dhurandhar team. Yet it is also a bold move by YRF. Since the film’s release, Dhurandhar has consistently outshone the studio’s own Spy Universe. The film’s repeated comparisons to the universe, along with the overwhelmingly high bar it has set in the public imagination, pose a fascinating question for the studio itself: What does the future hold for the Spy Universe?

One of the most persistent discussions online since Dhurandhar’s release has been its raw sensibility. Gritty, visceral, and deeply grounded, juxtaposed against the highly Westernized, glossy aesthetics of the Spy Universe: War, Pathaan, Tiger 3, and more recently, War 2. A sentiment has emerged among audiences: the Spy Universe, once a harbinger of spectacle, now runs largely on inertia: recycling familiar templates, leaning on clichés, and pitting ISI against RAW, without ever truly innovating the narrative or emotional core. This is not to say Dhurandhar forgoes such a central conflict. It indeed contains a similar espionage core. But Dhar, with his mastery of manipulation and camouflage, reframes familiar tropes into a fresh, kinetic experience.

Dhurandhar became a rage because of its raw, gory, and inventive sensibilities.

Consider what Dhar achieved with Dhurandhar. A routine espionage story was reimagined as a gangster actioner, subverting genre expectations. The film’s terrain, Karachi, was unfamiliar to most audiences, lending a sense of immediacy and unpredictability. In contrast, a film like Tiger 3, which similarly situates much of its story in Pakistan, struggled to resonate.  Why? Because, after a while, it seemed weighed down by its own reputation, unable to confound, elude and, moreover, rivet the audience in a meaningful way. In this sense, the success of Dhurandhar feels almost inevitable. Audiences will always be drawn to a “rooted” actioner led by a formidable ensemble, filled with inventive set pieces, over a universe that depends solely on star power, flashy CGI, and formulaic, Mission Impossible-esque template.

However, for all it’s creative bankruptcy, and narrative limitations, the Spy Universe rests on a foundation of sensible, secular, and harmonious politics. It never ventures into divisiveness; it never frames itself through a bigoted lens. Even when its stories hinge on the familiar “we must save Pakistan” trope, they never lose sight of the shared humanity that transcends borders. These films find their strength in their moral spine, in an era, where subservience is the cornerstone of storytelling.

The moral core of the Spy Universe was established with Kabir Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger.

Much of this credit belongs to Kabir Khan, who, beginning with Ek Tha Tiger in 2012, laid the groundwork for a politically conscious approach to the genre. And to Chopra, who, like his father Yash Chopra, understands that love, remains transformative, seminal, especially in a world replete with polarization. So, if Dhurandhar imagines a new India, the Spy Universe reflects the ideals of a gentler, older era, in the hope of a better, calmer future.

Sensible politics alone, however, cannot sustain an audience, or a franchise. At best, and  of course, at worst, it only attracts trolls and abuse. And, to complicate matters, the last few releases in the Spy Universe, War 2, and before that Tiger 3, performed underwhelmingly at the box office, revealing the universe’s struggle to keep pace with expectations. Now, after Dhurandhar, the bar has been raised. Audiences have seen what is possible within the espionage genre. Against this backdrop, the future of the Spy Universe appears bleak. Their next outing, Alpha, already draws attention due to shifting release dates and delays. So unless it ventures beyond familiar tropes, the trajectory seems clear: diminishing returns.

There is, however, another path. The obsession with action spectacle, though dominant, need not define the studio’s future. Major production houses are already producing the same high-octane fare. If YRF seeks to stand out, as it once did in the 2000s with its fresh, innovative storytelling, it must traverse new genres. Or if not, then stick to their guns. The success of last year’s romantic musical Saiyaara, a surprising hit, proves that audiences are ready for stories beyond action. It is only a matter of choice, of conscious courage, and of timing before Chopra embraces that risk, offering a path that can lead us out of these dark ages.