Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar has been making headlines since its release on December 5 due to its record-breaking performance at the box office. Amid the success, the film has also been surrounded by controversy over the song Shararat. Reports surfaced online suggesting that Aditya Dhar rejected the idea of casting Tamannaah Bhatia for the song in the film. Choreographer Vijay Ganguly has now clarified that Tamannaah was never under consideration; the decision was made to protect the film’s atmosphere and ensure the narrative remained the hero of the sequence.
Dhurandhar's Song Controversy: Vijay Ganguly Clarifies Viral Claims
Taking to Instagram story, Vijay shared a note setting the record straight regarding his recent statement about Tamannaah Bhatia's casting in the Shararat song. His post read, "To clarify: Tamannaah Bhatia was never under consideration because her star power is so significant it might have overwhelmed the specific needs of this scene. In Dhurandhar, the music is woven into a high-stakes moment where the tension is key. The makers opted for two performers to keep the focus on the story’s progression. This choice was about protecting the film’s atmosphere and ensuring the narrative remains the hero of the sequence."
In another story, he wrote, “I genuinely enjoy conversations around cinema and the many layers that go into making a film. That said, I’ve often refrained from putting myself out there because, at times, words get selectively edited, misquoted, or sensationalised to serve headlines rather than the craft."
Calling the situation unfortunate and criticising the use of reductive terms like ‘rejections’, Ganguly added, “It’s unfortunate that instead of the conversation staying on the song and the creative intent behind Shararat, the focus has shifted to comparisons between two wonderful artists, with strong and reductive terms like ‘rejections’ being used—something that was never the spirit of what was shared."
All About Controversy Over Dhurandhar's Song Shararat
The Shararat song has been choreographed by Vijay Ganguly, featuring Ayesha Khan and Krystle D'Souza. Recently, Vijay discussed about the song and its casting. In a recent interview with Filmygyan, he revealed that he had initially suggested casting Tamannaah Bhatia in the song. However, director Aditya Dhar has a different take and rejected the idea.
He shared, "In my head, she was (the one). I had suggested her, but Aditya was very clear that he did not want what people call an item song, something that went out of the story. If it were just about one girl, it would have taken attention away from the story. That's why there are two girls, not one. He didn't want the attention to be about this one person. If it were Tamannaah, it would've been about her and not the story. Jo ho raha tha film mein, there was a lot going on, and if you go away from the story, then the song is just a cut-to song."
His statement instantly went viral on social media, sparking a debate over Aditya Dhar allegedly rejecting Tamannaah Bhatia, known for delivering hit item numbers in several films.
Written and directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar stars Ranveer Singh in the lead role, alongside Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, and Sara Arjun in pivotal roles. Following the immense response to the first part from both audiences and critics, the makers are set to bring Dhurandhar Part 2, which is scheduled to release on 19 March 2026.