How Dhurandhar Director Aditya Dhar’s Cricket Rejection Led To A ₹1,300 Crore Bollywood Success Story

Today, director Aditya Dhar is widely recognised for making one of the biggest Hindi blockbusters, Dhurandhar. The film went on to become a massive box office success, earning more than Rs 1,300 crore worldwide and placing him among the most talked-about directors since the film’s release on December 5. With the sequel Dhurandhar: The Revenge releasing today, attention has once again turned to the filmmaker behind the hit franchise.

However, long before cinema and box office numbers became part of his journey, Dhar had a completely different ambition in sports. His early dream was to pursue cricket rather than filmmaking, but destiny played its game!

Why did Aditya Dhar quit cricket?

Before entering the film industry, Dhar was deeply involved in cricket and reportedly hoped to represent India. He was considered a promising player and had his sights set on making the Under-19 team in the early 2000s. But his plans did not unfold as expected. Filmmaker Priyadarshan shared in an interview with Mashable India that Dhar’s cricket journey came to an end due to political factors rather than due to his calibre.

“The filmmaker said, “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. Someone called him to see a film, and that was Gardish. He said he saw Gardish and said, ‘This is something I want to do and I came to Mumbai.” Further, he was disappointed with a few films that he actually penned, but he never got the credit for.

How did Aditya Dhar become a successful director?

Moving to Mumbai did not immediately change things for Dhar. Like many newcomers, he went through a period of struggle before finding his footing in the industry. Over time, he began focusing on writing, which eventually became a key turning point in his career. “When Aditya was working with me, he was also writing dialogues, so for three years, I think, we worked together. I was always positive about him because he had a wonderful language. That was his biggest asset at that time,” said Priyadarshan.

According to him, that phase ultimately shaped the direction of Dhar’s career, converting an earlier setback into a new path in cinema.

Priyadarshan also recently congratulated Dhar following the success of Dhurandhar. Praising the director on Instagram, the Hera Pheri director wrote, “There is no greater happiness than watching my disciple rise with such remarkable success. Congratulations, Aditya Dhar on Dhurandhar, and heartfelt best wishes for Dhurandhar 2.”

How Aditya Dhar became a ₹1300 crore director?

After his directorial debut Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), which did well on the box office, Dhar achieved major success with Dhurandhar, which released on December 5, 2025. Featuring Akshaye Khanna, Ranveer Singh, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Arjun Rampal, and Sanjay Dutt, the film opened with Rs 28 crore in India and collected over Rs 218 crore within its first week. It crossed Rs 500 crore domestically in just 16 days and eventually earned more than Rs 1,300 crore worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film ever, globally.

Following the overwhelming response to the first part, the franchise is continuing with its sequel. Titled Dhurandhar: The Revenge, the three hour 55 minutes film is set to release in theatres today, with paid preview screenings scheduled a day earlier. Dhar’s journey shows how unexpected challenges can sometimes lead to immense growth opportunities, pushing someone to global fame.