Choosing ‘Meghna Gulzar was my gravest misjudgement’: Alia Bhatt’s Raazi writer Harinder Singh Sikka slams director amid Dhurandhar 2 massive success

Harinder Singh Sikka, the writer behind the espionage novel Calling Sehmat, has once again voiced his dissatisfaction with its film adaptation, Raazi. His remarks come at a time when conversations around his work have resurfaced amid the massive box-office success of Dhurandhar 2. Ranveer Singh starrer surpassed many blockbuster films, including Pushpa 2, KGF 2, RRR, Baahubali 2, Jawan and Stree 2 at the box office.

Why Raazi author criticise Meghna Gulzar amid Dhurandhar’s success?

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Harinder criticised filmmaker Meghna Gulzar for what he believes was a departure from the original spirit of his story. The author said that choosing Gulzar to direct the film was one of his biggest mistakes, as he feels the essence of the protagonist was altered in the cinematic version.
He wrote, “Calling Sehmat #Raazi ranks among the top books on espionage ever written, globally. It exposes Pakistan across border, hostile forces in Bollywood and a Punjab-based criminals within. Appointing Meghna Gulzar was my gravest misjudgment. Despite clear warnings, I failed to foresee how ideological bias would end up diminishing the true spirit of the protagonist.”

Sikka also suggested that the adaptation showed a certain ideological lens, which, according to him, diluted the impact of the original narrative. He maintained that his book, written years ago, continues to resonate with readers globally and holds a strong place in the genre of espionage literature. However, he believes that the film did not fully capture the intent with which the story was originally written.

The author further extended his criticism to director Meghna Gulzar’s handling of other subjects, including her film based on Sam Manekshaw. He implied that key aspects of historical context were either softened or omitted, which, in his view, affected the authenticity of such stories.

More about Raazi and Dhurandhar 2

Despite Sikka’s strong remarks, Raazi, starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, was both a critical and commercial success upon its release in 2018. The film received praise for its restrained storytelling and nuanced portrayal of characters, avoiding overly dramatic or one-sided depictions. Many critics appreciated the film’s balanced approach, especially in handling sensitive cross-border themes.

Over the years, the difference in perspective between the author and the filmmaker has remained unresolved. While Sikka has repeatedly expressed his concerns, Meghna Gulzar has largely refrained from responding publicly to these criticisms.

Meanwhile, Dhurandhar 2, directed by Aditya Dhar and headlined by Ranveer Singh, crossed Rs 1,400 crore mark at the global box office. On Day 14, Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge earned around Rs 17.80 crore net in India across 17,030 shows. While this marks a noticeable dip compared to previous days, the numbers remain strong. The film’s total India gross has reached Rs 1,122.17 crore, with the net at Rs 937.32 crore, bringing it close to the Rs 950 crore milestone.

The sequel, which was released in theatres on March 19, also features Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Rakesh Bedi and Sara Arjun in key roles, and continues to perform strongly worldwide.