Grammy winner Ricky Kej hails Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar, takes a jibe at Pathaan, says ‘Spy thriller done right’

Ricky Kej hails Ranveer Singh Dhurandhar

Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, featuring Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, has been generating strong buzz ever since it hit theatres. The spy thriller has drawn appreciation from both audiences and members of the film industry for its intense storytelling and execution. Adding to the praise, Grammy Award-winning composer Ricky Kej applauded the film and its approach to the genre, while also appearing to make a pointed remark aimed at Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone’s Pathaan.

Sharing his thoughts, Ricky Kej wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Was travelling non-stop and took a short break to watch #Dhurandhar — and WOW! Indian cinema coming of age. The 3.5-hour runtime goes by in a flash, leaving us asking for more. The performances, editing and dialogues are all absolutely top-notch. Incredible music by @shashwatology. A spy thriller done correctly. Technically brilliant — every department has excelled. A big, hearty congratulations to the genius captain of the ship, @AdityaDharFilms. He has now proven himself to be the best and incapable of anything less than brilliance. (I had the pleasure of meeting him once in 2001!).”

He further added, “P.S.: The tiny few who are criticising the film have probably not watched it. It shows things as they are — gruesome or otherwise — with no sugar-coating. It is certified adult, so you would be foolish to take your children. People criticising the film probably prefer movies with a sexy female Pakistani ISI agent dancing in a bikini to ‘Besharam Rang’. That is cinema according to them.”

Was travelling non-stop, took a short break to watch #Dhurandhar.. and WOW! Indian cinema coming of age. The 3.5 hour run-time goes by in a flash, with us asking for more! The performances, edit, dialogues, all absolutely top notch. Incredible music by @shashwatology. A spy… pic.twitter.com/Nh3fUZVSzT

— Ricky Kej (@rickykej) December 13, 2025

Siddharth Anand’s Pathaan featured Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and John Abraham in pivotal roles and marked a major entry in Yash Raj Films’ expanding Spy Universe. The high-octane action film went on to become one of the biggest box office successes in Hindi cinema, earning over ₹1,050 crore globally.

Read More: Dhurandhar effect: PVR Inox shares rise 7% as Ranveer Singh-starrer storms past Rs 300 crore milestone

Despite its massive commercial triumph, the film also sparked debate, particularly over Deepika Padukone’s styling in the song Besharam Rang, where her saffron-toned costume drew criticism and public discussion.