Imtiaz Ali says Dhurandhar broke rules to achieve success
The filmmaker noted that the spy thriller was once considered an impractical film with a low likelihood of success by studios.
Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali said the Hindi film industry is undergoing a period of introspection, according to the Times of India. Speaking at the Hindustan Times Summit, Ali discussed how Bollywood is changing and how old formulas are no longer holding.
Ali used the film Dhurandhar as an example of a project that went against accepted norms. He stated that when the film was being conceived and run through studios, people thought it was the most impractical film with the least likelihood of success.
The director noted that while some claim audience attention spans are missing, films that are doing well are three hours long. He pointed out that people cite Dhurandhar as an example of success despite its length.
Written and directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar is a spy thriller featuring Ranveer Singh as an Indian agent infiltrating terror networks in Pakistan. The cast includes R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Rakesh Bedi and Sara Arjun.
Although the second film received a mixed response, both films in the series are the two highest-grossing Hindi films in India. Ali's latest film, Main Vaapas Aaunga, was a surprise box office hit.