New Delhi, March 21: Filmmaker Aditya Dhar's 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' has opened to a record-breaking start at the box office, drawing widespread praise from audiences and the film fraternity.

Released in theatres on March 19, the sequel to 2025's highest-grossing Hindi film has quickly emerged as one of the biggest cinematic events of the year.

Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut joined the chorus of appreciation on Saturday, highlighting Dhar's achievement and calling him the driving force behind the film's success.

In a note shared on Instagram, Kangana described Dhar as a "superstar filmmaker" and said his journey would inspire a new generation of filmmakers.

"The best thing about Dhurandhar's success is that Aditya Dhar... is established," she wrote, adding that global filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan are often regarded as bigger than actors in Hollywood.

She further stressed that Indian directors are frequently "overworked, underpaid and bullied by superstars," leading to a lack of aspiration among youngsters to pursue filmmaking or technical roles in cinema.

Kangana added that Dhar's success story could shift that narrative. "Here is a superstar filmmaker shining brighter than any hero... youngsters will aspire to be like him," she noted, congratulating the director.

The film has also earned acclaim from several stars from the film fraternity.

Filmmaker S. S. Rajamouli praised Dhar for "hitting it out of the park," while veteran director Rakesh Roshan credited the film with "starting a new era of filmmaking." Actors including Mahesh Babu, Jr NTR and Allu Arjun also lauded the project.

The film boasts a strong ensemble cast, including Arjun Rampal as Major Iqbal and Sanjay Dutt as SP Chaudhary Aslam, alongside veteran actor Rakesh Bedi and Sara Arjun. The first instalment also featured Akshaye Khanna. (ANI)