Hyderabad: Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna’s action spy thriller Dhurandhar started streaming on Netflix on Friday, January 30. The film is available in Hindi, and also in Tamil and Telugu. Director Aditya Dhar called the OTT premiere “a new chapter” for the movie, which stayed in cinemas for more than a month and earned over Rs 1,400 crore at the worldwide box office.
But within hours of its digital debut, social media filled up with complaints from viewers who felt the Netflix version was not the “original” theatrical experience.
Netflix’s Censored version
Many viewers claimed the OTT version had muted cuss words, softened “raw” dialogues, and removed multiple sequences. Some even alleged that nearly 10 minutes from the theatrical cut was missing.
A section of fans were especially upset because the film carries an adult rating, and they expected a more uncensored experience at home. One user complained that Netflix was being “politically correct,” while another said they subscribed expecting the uncut version. Others demanded Netflix upload an uncensored cut or remove the film.
According to multiple reports, the version streaming on Netflix matches the edited theatrical cut that played in cinemas after the film’s initial release. Viewers online pointed out that the Netflix runtime is around 3 hours 25 minutes, which aligns with the shorter 208-minute theatrical version, while the earlier cut was longer.
In early January, the makers reportedly muted a few words and edited certain lines after approaching the CBFC, using a provision that allows changes to an already certified film as long as the larger meaning of a scene is not altered.
About the film
Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar is set against a high-stakes spy mission, with Ranveer playing an Indian agent infiltrating terror networks in Pakistan’s Lyari. The film also stars R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, and Akshaye Khanna. A sequel, Dhurandhar 2, is slated for a March 19 theatrical release.
