Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi, who plays a key role in the blockbuster Dhurandhar: The Revenge, has defended the film against allegations that it is “propaganda.” In the process, he delivered a pointed comparison, indirectly referring to Kangana Ranaut’s political biopic Emergency and other such films, stating they “didn’t even run for two days.”
The 71-year-old actor’s remarks come amid a social media debate over the film’s themes, with some critics labeling it as pro-establishment propaganda.
‘I Believe in Cinema, Not Politics’
In an interview with NDTV, Rakesh Bedi dismissed attempts to categorize films along political lines.
“I don’t believe in politics. I believe in cinema. Everybody has the right to like or dislike a film, but I don’t think it’s right to put a film into some kind of category, whether it’s pro-establishment or anti-establishment. The verdict is that people are loving it,” he said.
The Comparison: Political Biopics vs. Dhurandhar 2
Bedi then drew a comparison with other political biopics, using their box office performance to make his point.
“Recently, there were films made on Indira Gandhi (Emergency) and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. These films didn’t run for even two days. Dhurandhar’s writing and screenplay are strong. People haven’t seen a film mounted on such a scale before,” he added.
The reference to Emergency is notable. The 2025 film, directed by and starring Kangana Ranaut as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was a high-profile release that had a disappointing box office run, earning only Rs 18.40 crore worldwide.
| Film | Subject | Box Office (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency (2025) | Indira Gandhi | Rs 18.40 crore (worldwide) |
| Dhurandhar 2 (2026) | Fictional counter-terror narrative | Record-breaking premiere (Rs 52 crore) |
The Propaganda Debate
Bedi’s comments come amid ongoing discussions about Dhurandhar 2‘s political messaging. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee recently criticized director Aditya Dhar on X (formerly Twitter), labeling him a “BJP propagandist.” Rathee claimed that while Dhar’s earlier work contained subtle propaganda, the latest film is overt in its messaging.
Despite the criticism, Dhurandhar 2 has continued its record-breaking run at the box office, with audiences flocking to theatres and strong word-of-mouth.
Rakesh Bedi on His Role and the Film’s Success
In a separate interview with India Today, Bedi had earlier spoken about his emotional connection to the film, recalling how director Aditya Dhar reacted to his farewell shoot.
“A farewell happened for one of the actors. My farewell was scheduled in the next 10 days. Aditya came to me and told me ‘Jab aapka farewell hoga, mein ro padunga (when your farewell happens, I will break down). Who gets a reaction like that?'”
He also recalled a heartfelt moment with lead actor Ranveer Singh. “Ranveer took the mic on my last day and said, ‘If this film does 1000 crore, 500 would be because of Rakesh Bedi.’ That was a big statement from him.”
