Alia Bhatt starrer Darlings will hit the silver screen on August 5. Ahead of its release, the film is receiving major criticism on social media. Twitter on Thursday remained dominated by tweets under #BoycottDarlings and #BoycottAliaBhatt.
Tweeple are blasting and disapproving of the film and calling it out for promoting domestic violence against men.
Everyone should #BoycottAliaBhatt for making a misandrist movie like Darlings. For bollywood, domestic violence on men is a matter of joke. Pathetic. pic.twitter.com/o5aeWz7ax5
Darlings’ trailer was dropped on July 25. From its trailer, one could guess how the film’s trajectory goes from light-hearted comedy to a dark comedy which touches upon the subject of domestic abuse.
A section of social media users is calling for boycotting Darlings citing the promotion of domestic violence against men. As burdening as these allegations are, it is quite not the reality of the film.
The plot of Darlings is set inside a premise of how the wife, played by Alia Bhatt, of a volatile and alcoholic husband, played by Vijay Varma, tries to reform her husband’s insensitive behaviour, until one day she had enough, as she seeks revenge.
The storyline of the film can be anything but promoting domestic violence against men. At best, it can be critiqued for trivialising the reality of women who go through similar predicaments but don’t have the option to take similar stringent actions.
Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani starter Kabir Singh, which did quite a number at the box office, created a massive controversy during the time of its release. The film was accused of encouraging toxic masculinity and sexism in society. Some might also suggest that this portrayal of a woman seeking revenge in Darlings is quite similar to Kabir Singh.
However, the dynamics of both the characters are dissimilar to the point that it doesn’t actually need articulate reasoning for anyone to guess the difference.
Though it is important to comprehend that the actions taken by the lead in Kabir Singh were due to the complexity of the character, which could arguably be a celebrated reflection of hypermasculinity in society. It is quite contrary to the role played by Alia in Darlings.
Alia’s character doesn’t adopt a preceded mindset of every woman, her character only explores the extremes of a woman’s mindset who is responding to domestic abuse which sets the two characters apart as polar opposites in terms of dynamics.
The character played by Shahid Kapoor in Kabir Singh is an oppressor whereas Alia Bhatt’s character Badru is the one who is being oppressed. This is what would have happened to Preeti in Kabir Singh if she had enough of Kabir’s hypermasculinity way of life.
Nepotism hate
The call for a boycott by the so-called cinema lovers can be speculated to be fueled by the political bias against Bollywood that has recently settled into the country. The vilification of Bollywood, which tangibly came into play after the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, began a reservation against star kids who profits off by being a product of nepotism.
Alia Bhatt, the daughter of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan, also faced a lot of criticism for being a star kid. She, however, managed to recede the tag through her incredible performances in films like Gangubai Kathiawad, Gullyboy, Highway, Raazi, and others.
Bhatt troop and their political opinions
Another faction that has reservations against Alia and her family is the ones whose political ideologies do not align with the Bhatts. Alia and her family have had a history of speaking their mind and sharing unpopular opinions on several occasions.
Alia, during the Police Crackdown on the students of Jamia Millia Islamia, posted a question on social media urging her friends from the fraternity to tweet or message Prime Minister Narendra Modi by condemning the actions taken by the police.
Soni Razdan had also once opined how she will believe she would be better off living in Pakistan, which was said in light of the situation in India.
Alia Bhatt and Soni Razdan have a British citizenship. The mother-daughter duo cannot vote during elections in India. Earlier, Alia has expressed about hoping to have a dual citizenship as she would love to vote.
Both Alia and Soni were brutually trolled over their citizenship back then.
Urging people to vote against hate has nothing to do with citizenship and everything to do with being a human being. We are all human beings first and citizens of the world we live in. Secularism and democratic principles are values and it’s those that I stand for. #VoteOutHate
The highly-anticipated film Darlings marks Alia Bhatt’s debut as a producer and her second collaboration with Vijay Varma after Gully Boy. Are you rooting for Darlings?
The teaser of Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film Ramayana has been released, offering the first glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor in the role of Lord Rama. The film, which is planned as a two-part cinematic project, is scheduled for a Diwali release later this year.
The teaser shows several key moments, including scenes from the coronation and the exile period in the forest of Panchavati. Ranbir Kapoor appears in the role of Rama with a calm and composed presence. The teaser also briefly shows Yash in the role of Ravan towards the end.
Ahead of the teaser launch, Alia Bhatt shared a video message on social media asking audiences to support the project and Ranbir Kapoor’s work on the film. In the video, she said the “Rama unit” video would be released and encouraged audiences to watch and support the film.
Budget and scale
Producer Namit Malhotra said the film has been in development for six to seven years and is being made on a large scale. According to him, the total budget for both parts is around $500 million, which is over Rs 4,000 crore combined.
He said the film is being made for a global audience and aims to present the epic on a large cinematic scale while remaining efficient in production.
Music collaboration
The film’s music is being composed through a collaboration between AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer. Rahman said working on a project based on such an iconic epic is challenging, as the team wants to present something new while respecting the importance of the story.
Release plan and cast
The film will be released in two parts. The first part is scheduled for a worldwide release in October 2026 ahead of Diwali, while the second part is planned for release during Diwali 2027.
Apart from Ranbir Kapoor, the film also stars Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Ravi Dubey and Yash in important roles.
Ranveer Singh’s film Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge has crossed the Rs 600 crore mark at the India box office within seven days of its release, according to trade estimates. The film has maintained a strong run in both mass centres and urban markets during its first week.
As per trade figures, the film’s India net box office collection stands at around Rs 623 crore after seven days, while the gross domestic collection is estimated to be over Rs 740 crore. The film has also performed strongly in overseas markets, taking its international collection to more than Rs 250 crore. With this, the worldwide box office total has crossed Rs 1,000 crore within the first week of release, as per trade estimates.
Day-wise performance in India
The film opened strongly on March 19 with box office collections of over Rs 100 crore. The film continued to perform well over the next few days, collecting around Rs 80 crore on Day 2 and over Rs 110 crore on Day 3. Collections remained strong over the weekend, followed by an expected drop on weekdays. By Day 7, the film collected around Rs 47 crore, taking the total India net collection past Rs 600 crore.
Overseas performance and comparison
The film has also reported strong performance in overseas markets, particularly in the UK and other key international territories. With the worldwide collection crossing Rs 1,000 crore in the first week, the film is being compared to the fast global box office pace seen by Pushpa 2: The Rule in terms of early box office momentum, according to trade observers.
About the film
Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge is the sequel to the 2025 film Dhurandhar. The sequel features Ranveer Singh along with Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan and Sanjay Dutt in key roles.
The release of Dhurandhar 2 has brought back the kind of theatrical frenzy last witnessed during Pathaan, which marked Shah Rukh Khan’s return to cinemas. This time, the spotlight firmly belongs to Ranveer Singh, who headlines the second instalment of Aditya Dhar’s ambitious action franchise.
The sequel builds on the foundation of the first film, amplifying its scale, violence, and emotional depth. Positioned as a revenge-driven narrative, the story centres on Jaskirat Singh Rangi, whose personal tragedy in 2002 sets the tone for the film’s intense journey.
A revenge story rooted in personal loss
Jaskirat, a young man from Pathankot aspiring to join the Indian Army, is pushed into darkness after his father’s murder and the brutal assault on his sisters. His life takes a drastic turn when he is recruited into a covert operation by Ajay Sanyal, played by R Madhavan, along with his associate Sushant Bansal.
Over time, Jaskirat transforms into Hamza Ali Mazari, a lethal operative tasked with dismantling terror networks across Pakistan. The narrative follows his evolution into a ruthless force, balancing emotional vulnerability with extreme brutality.
Ranveer Singh anchors the film
At the core of Dhurandhar 2 is Ranveer Singh’s performance, which stands out for its range and intensity. Whether portraying emotional turmoil or executing violent missions, the actor commands attention throughout.
One of the film’s standout moments features his character in a restrained yet explosive state, delivering a chilling performance that adds to the film’s dramatic weight.
Expanding the universe with political and historical references
The film blends fiction with real-world references, incorporating elements like the 2008 Mumbai attacks, demonetisation, the Uri attack, and the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute. It also introduces characters inspired by real figures, including terror operatives and political personalities.
A cameo reference to Narendra Modi adds another layer to the narrative, reflecting the film’s attempt to merge cinematic storytelling with contemporary political undertones.
Supporting cast adds depth
The film features strong supporting performances, including Arjun Rampal as Major Iqbal, who emerges as a formidable antagonist. However, the absence of a larger role for Akshaye Khanna is noticeable, despite his brief appearance.
Sanjay Dutt appears in an extended cameo, delivering a commanding screen presence. Meanwhile, Madhavan’s dual-layered portrayal adds narrative complexity.
Other actors like Sara Arjun, Gaurav Gera, and Rakesh Bedi contribute effectively, with their characters receiving more clarity compared to the first film.
Music blends multiple eras
The soundtrack of Dhurandhar 2 stands out for its diversity, featuring recreations and classics across decades. Tracks inspired by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Kishore Kumar, and international artist Khaled add a unique musical layer to the film.
A sequel that answers questions but misses the climax high
While the film provides answers to several unresolved questions from the first part, it does not quite match the crescendo of its predecessor. Still, it succeeds in expanding the narrative universe and maintaining audience engagement.
Overall, Dhurandhar 2 is driven by Ranveer Singh’s commanding performance and its bold storytelling approach, making it a must-watch for fans of the franchise.
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