Dhurandhar: The Revenge film encompasses the life journey and metamorphosis of Jaskirat Singh Rangi (played rivetingly by Ranveer Singh), from a young Army aspirant to a leading 'unknown man' (undercover operative of RAW) informed by his deep-rooted patriotism.
It depicts his heart-wrenching past, which compels him to take up arms owing to systemic failure.
Ironically, he is asked to defend the very system that had failed him. He ultimately has no other alternative but to become the 'killing machine' or the 'wrath of God'. In fact, Jaskirat had already reached a state of numbness by then; the only thing left of him was his pain.
The story then revolves around how he channels his pain constructively to become 'Dhurandhar' (a stalwart who bears a great burden), which he eventually does as throughout the narrative he keeps on reiterating, 'Ghayal hoon isiliye Ghatak hoon'.
The film also hints at why people like Jaskirat are chosen to become the 'unknown men' for the greater good of the nation. It probably becomes convenient for a nation to utilise such people as 'assets' as those individuals who have been beset by a traumatic past rarely find fulfilment in socially sanctioned relationships such as marriage, etc, and the chances of them being successfully integrated into the society also seem implausible.
Conversely, if they succeed in their missions, the nation benefits; if they fail, it treats them as dispensable.
Jaskirat confronts this plight and reflects the Bhagavad Gita's ideals of detachment and selfless action, demonstrating them at least three times in the film.
Firstly, he burns the photograph of his Indian family while taking on the identity of Hamza Ali Mazari, an undercover Indian spy in Pakistan. Secondly, when he burns the photograph of his Pakistani family, comprising his son and his wife Yalina (played with aplomb by Sara Arjun), whom he views not as his ray of hope but as his guilty conscience, as she reminds him of a householder's life and its corresponding obligations.
His turbulent past and patriotic mission have already rendered that role invalid, and the song 'Aakhiri Ishq' captures this inner turmoil, instantly tugging at the audience's heartstrings.
Thirdly, when he returns to India, he is no longer Hamza, the 'wrath of God', but appears emotionally drained and diminished as he hobbles off the train to meet his family. He finds that they have quietly moved on in his absence and chooses not to disrupt their peace, thereby embodying another form of unconditional love, letting go of loved ones because they no longer need him, and his return would only reopen wounds that have begun to heal.
He also successfully manages to forge bonds of friendship with Aalam, a fellow undercover Indian spy in Pakistan, and later laments his death movingly.
The narrative of the film, then, frees Jaskirat from the compulsion of seeking validation from worldly ties and allows him to move beyond superficial trappings of the world, as all such societal nomenclatures in no way become his defining feature in the end.
The slow disintegration of these ties deeply moves any human being, and Jaskirat breaks down at each of these moments, underscoring his sensitivity towards those close to his heart.
The film's narrative then offers a delicate balancing of these binary tendencies and looks to harmonise them through Jaskirat's character, something which Bollywood had hitherto rarely projected vis-à-vis its protagonists, thereby making it a compelling big-screen experience, and for which the director of the film, Aditya Dhar, deserves to be lauded.
The usage of vintage songs also adds depth to the film's narrative and leaves a lasting impact on the audience.
Alongside Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal as the antagonist Major Iqbal and Sanjay Dutt as SP Chaudhary Aslam deliver strong performances. However, Rakesh Bedi as Jameel Jamali emerges as a surprising highlight.
In addition to it, the recurrence of mother-son scenes at least thrice in the narrative of the film, signifies the passage of time for Jaskirat, making him steadfast in his resolve in the first instance, nostalgic in the second and emotionally vulnerable in the last one.
All such moments in the film humanise and ennoble Jaskirat's character before the audience.
Jaskirat emerges as a complex yet deeply endearing character. His restraint stems both from his mission and his heightened emotional awareness, making him unusually sensitive and vulnerable for a Bollywood protagonist.
In the end, Jaskirat's character breaks the fourth wall and looks directly, as if in supplication, at the audience for acceptance as he had to kill many versions of himself for the nation, and he, least of all, deserves to be in that emotionally vulnerable state towards the end of the film's narrative, occupying a liminal space.
The film thus succeeds in paying homage to the 'unknown men' and soldiers alike and also drives home the point that it's high time we acknowledge their silent sacrifices and accord them the dignity and appreciation which they truly deserve.
(By Dr Arun Singh Awana, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, University of Delhi)