On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch When Dhurandhar stormed Indian cinemas in late 2025, it did more than become one of the most successful Hindi films in history. It reignited a long-running debate about the political direction of Bollywood. The espionage thriller by director Aditya Dhar follows an Indian intelligence operative, played by Ranveer Singh, who infiltrates the Pakistani criminal underworld to dismantle a terrorist network targeting India. The plot blends fictional espionage with real events from the recent past, including the 2001 attack on India’s parliament and the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, weaving in archival footage and real audio recordings for effect. Dhurandhar quickly became one of the biggest Hindi movies ever, grossing over Rs 10bn (£81.6m) worldwide within three weeks of its release. It also became the highest-grossing Hindi film ever at the domestic box office with roughly Rs 8.31bn (£67.8m) and the highest-grossing Indian movie of 2025 worldwide. This Thursday will see …