After shattering box office records with a ₹1,000 crore run, Ranveer Singh’s spy-thriller Dhurandhar debuted on Netflix at midnight on Friday, January 30, 2026. However, the initial “OTT celebration” has quickly turned into a social media backlash.
The primary reason for fan frustration is censorship. Despite the film carrying an ‘A’ (Adults Only) certificate, viewers have discovered that the streaming version is not the “uncut” edition they expected.
Why Fans are Fuming
- The “Censored” Adult Film: Fans are questioning why an 18+ platform like Netflix is streaming a version with muted dialogues and censored expletives. Comparisons are being drawn to other Netflix blockbusters like Animal and Kabir Singh, which streamed without such mutes.
- Missing Footage: The theatrical runtime was approximately 3 hours 34 minutes, but the Netflix version clocks in at 3 hours 25 minutes. Fans claim nearly 10 minutes of content—likely extended action or “raw” dialogue scenes—has been trimmed.
- The “Baloch” Dialogue: Earlier in January, the makers had voluntarily muted words like “Baloch” and “Intelligence” in a controversial dialogue by Sanjay Dutt after community objections. Fans are disappointed that Netflix is hosting this “sanitized” theatrical cut rather than the original director’s vision.
The “Run-Time” Debate
Some industry insiders suggest the 9-minute difference isn’t due to major scene deletions but rather the removal of the lengthy theatrical disclaimers, anti-smoking ads, and interval cards. However, for hardcore fans, the “muted gaalis” (abuses) have stripped the film of its “raw, gritty vibe.”
Dhurandhar: The Plot Recap
For those watching for the first time on OTT:
- Director: Aditya Dhar (Uri: The Surgical Strike)
- Lead: Ranveer Singh plays Hamza, a mysterious deep-cover agent in Karachi.
- The Mission: A high-stakes operation led by IB Chief Ajay Sanyal (R. Madhavan) to dismantle a terror network responsible for events inspired by the IC-814 hijacking.
- Cast: Features a massive ensemble including Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, and Arjun Rampal.