Exclusive: Director Nikhil Advani says Dhurandhar's success reignites his faith in theatres

Nikhil Advani on Dhurandhar

• Nikhil Advani: Dhurandhar's success revives faith in big-screen storytelling
• He warns overdependence on tentpole films risks Hindi cinema's diversity
• Advani believes emotional connection keeps cinema relevant despite OTT growth

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At a time when a majority of theatrical releases aren't performing well and some have even declared that cinema is dead with alarming regularity, noted filmmaker Nikhil Advani said he believes the success of Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar has delivered a timely and much-needed reality check to the industry.

During an exclusive conversation with Moneycontrol, Nikhil Advani said that the film’s performance is not merely about box-office numbers but about restoring confidence in the collective power of storytelling.

Advani stressed the film's music and emotional engagement, which he says are the elements that have always defined the cinematic experience.

He called Dhurandhar a rare film that works across every creative department.

“If Dhurandhar would not have been a massive success, it didn’t work. It works in all the departments.”

He also credited director Aditya Dhar’s strong authorial voice and the seamless integration of music into the narrative as key reasons for the film working with the audience.

Watch the exclusive interview of Nikhil Advani

“The music is incredible; there is a connection between what is happening on the screen and what the audience is feeling," he reiterated.

Nikhil Advani said that emotional connection is central to why cinema continues to matter, especially at a time when streaming platforms and fragmented viewing habits are more prevalent.

Dhurandhar, he says, decisively pushes back against the growing perception that audiences are no longer willing to step out for the big-screen experience.

"Films like Dhurandhar come and make it very clear that cinema is not going anywhere," he said and also stressed the fact that such massive box office hits serve as reminders that when storytelling, craft, and scale align, audiences will still choose theaters over living-room screens.

But Advani said he is equally concerned about the shrinking theatrical space available for the middle-of-the-road cinema films that were driven by narrative rather than spectacle.

“The middle-of-the-road cinema, like the Rajkummar Rao and Ayushmann Khurrana kind of movies. Unfortunately now an audience would like to watch it at home rather than spend money for it," he told us.

Advani said this shift poses a long-term challenge to the industry’s creative ecosystem.

Overdependence on tentpole films 

An over-dependence on large-scale tentpole films may keep theaters running intermittently, but it risks hollowing out the diversity that once defined Hindi cinema.

“At the end of the day you cannot have 52 tentpole films," he added.

Advani points out that mid-budget, story-led films have historically played a crucial role in discovering new voices, nurturing talent, and offering audiences variety.

Yet, he is optimistic and cited the example of Rani Mukerji's Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway, which was released post-pandemic and reaffirmed the audience's faith in strong storytelling.

Released soon after theaters reopened post the pandemic, its success showed that viewers are still willing to invest time and money in emotionally driven narratives when given a compelling reason.

Reflecting on Emmay Entertainment’s 15-year journey, Nikhil Advani said that every production house moves through cycles of development, execution, and release, and the current phase reflects renewed ambition across the board.

“Every production house goes through a cycle… Now you see a lot of announcements," he said.

He says Emmay’s future slate mirrors this balance, with projects spanning long-form storytelling and theatrical releases, allowing the company to respond to changing audience behaviors without abandoning the big-screen experience altogether.

It takes a village to make a film: Advani

At a time when OTT is dominating, there are rising costs and shifting viewer expectations. Nikhil Advani said he is convinced that cinema’s survival lies not solely in scale, but in sincerity.

He stressed the fact that Dhurandhar is more than a commercial success for him; rather, it is a reminder that when a film connects emotionally, audiences still crave the shared, immersive experience of the darkened hall.

Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, has taken the box office by storm. It has earned Rs. 776 crore nett approx till now in India. The film's second part is going to release on March 19 this year.