Aejaz Gulab, the action director behind Dhurandhar: The Revenge, recently addressed the backlash regarding the film’s graphic action sequences. He emphasized that these scenes are deeply rooted in emotional depth and realism. Gulab expressed gratitude for the creative freedom granted by director Aditya Dhar, which allowed him to explore the film’s intense action without constraints.
With a rich background in over 500 projects, including notable films like Shootout at Lokhandwala and Ek Villain, Gulab considers Dhurandhar to be a pivotal moment in his career. In an interview with PTI, he remarked, “It’s heartening to see that the action in Hindi cinema is finally receiving the recognition it deserves, similar to that in South Indian films.”
The production dedicated nearly 135 days to filming the action sequences, preceded by about 70 days of intense preparation. Unlike typical Bollywood projects, which often face time and budget limitations, Gulab was granted ample opportunity to meticulously plan the action scenes.
“The action strikes a balance between fiction and reality. Aditya sir allowed me the freedom to execute my vision,” he stated, explaining that each sequence was crafted with the narrative, characters, and their emotional journeys in mind, and later fine-tuned with the director’s guidance. For this ambitious project, he led a sizable team, including seven assistants, 12 stuntwomen, and nearly 300 stunt performers.
To achieve a high level of production quality, he collaborated with renowned international stunt directors Yannick Ben and Sea-Young Oh, both celebrated for their work in Hollywood and major Indian films.
Addressing the criticisms regarding the film’s brutality, Gulab clarified that the narrative dictated the tone of the action. “The script required us to portray brutality authentically. The film revolves around the underworld and gangsters, who are notorious for their severe actions. This isn’t mindless violence; every action is driven by emotional stakes,” he remarked.
He also highlighted that some action sequences were inspired by real-life events, ensuring a sense of authenticity. “If we altered these scenes, they would lose credibility, particularly since the audience is familiar with actual news footage,” he explained.
Despite the film’s ambitious scale, Gulab noted that the team exercised restraint in their portrayal. “We could have pushed the boundaries further, but we opted for a more moderate approach, only showcasing about 60 percent of what we could have done, considering censor board guidelines and public sensitivity,” he concluded.