Cricket's Loss, Bollywood's Gain: How Dhurandhar Director Aditya Dhar Became a Blockbuster Star

Filmmaker Aditya Dhar, famed for the blockbuster Dhurandhar and its sequel, was once an aspiring India U19 cricketer. Missing out on a World Cup squad became a turning point, leading him to filmmaking, where he rose to fame as a National Award-winning and top Bollywood director.

Filmmaker Aditya Dhar, the husband of actress Yami Gautam, is buzzing after the massive success of his film, Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, and Sanjay Dutt. The Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar: The Revenge have received widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike.

The first instalment of Ranveer Singh-starrer film, which was released in December last year, was a blockbuster, earning over INR 1,300–1,428 crore worldwide, becoming one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the year. The second part of Dhurandhar has witnessed a massive anticipation and blockbuster‑level traction, with record-breaking bookings, strong opening day collections, and widespread praise from fans and industry figures alike.

Within the first two days, Dhurandhar: The Revenge has reportedly collected around INR 300 crore worldwide, with India’s net gross collection surpassing INR 226 crore, making it one of the fastest‑grossing Indian films of the year and further cementing Aditya Dhar’s reputation as a blockbuster director in Bollywood.

Cricketer Before Becoming a Filmmaker

The back-to-back success of Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar: The Revenge has brought filmmaker Aditya Dhar into the spotlight. Dhar has been lauded for his strong storytelling, impactful direction, and his ability to deliver back-to-back blockbuster films that blend emotional depth with gripping commercial cinema, earning praise from industry peers and audiences alike.

Though Aditya Dhar is known for his blockbuster film today, very few know that he was once an aspiring cricketer who dreamt of making it into the Indian team. The dream began when he was playing competitively at the U19 level and represented Delhi University as an all-rounder at the inter-university level.

However, in 2002, things went haywire for Aditya Dhar as he missed out on the selection to the India U19 squad for the U19 World Cup. Aditya, who was a well-known spin bowling all-rounder at the university level, gave selection trials for the India U19 team, but missed out on the selection, allegedly due to internal influence rather than his performance on the field.

"He was a cricketer, but he could not get into the Under-19 team because of some political influence, so he was moved out. He was very disappointed sitting at home," Filmmaker Priyadarshan recalled in an interview with Mashballe India. 

It was reported that Aditya Dhar lost his spot to Stuart Binny, the son of former India cricketer and 1983 World Cup winner Roger Binny. Aditya Dhar’s non-selection to the India U19 World Cup squad was a big setback for him, as his aspiration to become a professional cricketer and represent India at the international level came to an abrupt halt. This disappointment became a turning point in his life as it gave him a chance to explore new career opportunities.

Shift from Cricket to Filmmaking

As the dream of representing India at the international level was dashed after non-selection to the U19 squad for the World Cup, Aditya Dhar came home with disappointment but also a renewed sense of purpose. Disheartened, Aditya happened to watch a 1993 Bollywood film, ‘Gardish,’, directed by Priyadarshan, and Jackie Shroff was the star of the movie.

The impact of the film was so profound on him that he decided to switch his career to filmmaking. In 2006, Aditya Dhar took the train to Mumbai and worked as an intern for Priyadarshan. Aditya contributed to writing lyrics for films such as Kabul Express, Haal‑e‑Dil, and Daddy Cool before writing dialogues for Priyadarshan’s movies like Aakrosh and Tezz.

After over a decade of his dedication to filmmaking, working as an assistant director and dialogue writer, Aditya Dhar rose to prominence after directing Uri: The Surgical Strike in 2019, which became a massive critical and commercial success, and earned the National Award for Best Director. Thereafter, Aditya directed films such as Article 370, Dhoom Dhaam, and Baramulla.

Now, Aditya Dhar’s name has been buzzing not only in India but also worldwide after the blockbuster success of Dhurandhar and its sequel, cementing his reputation as a top Bollywood director. From being an aspiring cricketer to a top Bollywood director, Aditya Dhar’s journey is one of resilience and reinvention.