Wake up or hold on: Saif Ali Khan explains how Dhurandhar changed Indian cinema
Saif Ali Khan agrees that Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster films changed the way music was used in Indian cinema. He pointed to the songs embedded in the narrative and the franchise’s strong reach across streaming and theaters.
Actor Saif Ali Khan has said that Aditya Dhar stalwart The films have changed the approach towards music of Indian cinema. Speaking about the franchise, Saif said that the films marked a clear change in filmmaking and praised their soundtracks for moving away from traditional film music.
in an interview with Hollywood Reporter IndiaSaif told how success of stalwart movies Has influenced the industry and the way he looks at scripts and cinema now. He said, “I see a time ago stalwart And after a time. It is up to us whether we catch on and wake up or not. It seemed like an obvious idea to create amazing music and include all kinds of things from around the world, while also not being too afraid of English, rather than making a new album for each film.”
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Saif also talked about how films use music within the story rather than treating songs as standalone promotional tracks. He said this approach made the soundtrack feel fresher and more natural on screen.
stalwart The music in the films was composed by Shashwat Sachdev. like with the original track prank And deepenedThe composer also included classical songs in new versions. After burning the love, took away the loot And run down City – Monica. which is the same musical approach continued in Dhurandhar: RevengeCombining original songs with entertainment and remixes. Both albums received strong response from audiences and topped streaming charts upon release.
Amidst the soundtrack, Saif made his mark prankA dance number by Ayesha Khan and Krystle D’Souza. In the film, the song plays during the wedding celebration of Ranveer Singh’s character Hamza, with both actors appearing as dancers, while the sequence cuts between the performance and the ongoing story.
Explaining why this song is special to him, Saif said, “It’s somewhat revolutionary. Imagine how this will change the way you hire a beautiful leading lady to do an ‘item’ for you. If you just look at it as a song and have these two girls perform the same way you do at a wedding, it’s not an eyesore at all.”
stalwart The franchise has also recorded strong commercial success since its launch. The first film was released in December 2025, followed by Dhurandhar: Revenge In March 2026. Both films together grossed over Rs 3,100 crore at the box office, with the sequel becoming the second highest-grossing Indian film of all time.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film featured Ranveer Singh along with Akshay Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi and Sara Arjun in the lead roles. Meanwhile, Saif was last seen in the Netflix crime thriller KartavyaWhere his performance was appreciated. He is now preparing for the period drama Hum Hindustani and Priyadarshan’s film beastWhich will reunite him with Akshay Kumar after almost two decades.