Dhakad Movie Review: Action, Performances, and Full Breakdown
🧨 Table of Contents
- Story and Plot Summary (Non-spoiler + Spoiler parts)
- Cast and Characters
- 🎶 Music and Soundtrack
- Performances and Acting Reviews
- ✍️ Dialogues and Writing Style
- Release and Promotion Strategy
- 💰 Box Office and OTT Streaming Performance
- Critical and Public Reception
- 🌍 Cultural Impact and Public Response
- Comparisons with Similar Movies
- 🏆 Awards and Recognition
- 🎬 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
1. Story and Plot Summary (Non-spoiler + Spoiler parts)
Non-Spoiler Summary:
“Dhaakad” is an action-thriller that places a fierce female spy at the center of a high-stakes mission. The movie is a bold attempt to redefine action cinema with a female protagonist. It focuses on a covert agent assigned to eliminate a powerful human trafficking syndicate. The story revolves around her deadly encounters, undercover operations, and emotional backstory that deepens her motives.
The visual tone is gritty, international, and packed with sequences that resemble Western spy-action blockbusters. The plot moves through several countries and layers of deception, with a mix of sleek modern warfare and hand-to-hand combat.
Spoiler Summary:
The lead character, Agent Agni, is a ruthless and highly trained field agent. She’s assigned to track down Rudraveer, an international arms and human trafficker who has eluded the authorities for years. As Agni infiltrates his network, she uncovers shocking truths about her own past, particularly her family’s death and how it links to her current mission.
The final confrontation takes place in a highly secured location where Agni takes down the entire gang using her training, wit, and emotional rage. A twist reveals betrayal from someone within the agency. The movie closes on a personal note, with Agni finding closure while remaining the country’s deadliest protector.
2. Cast and Characters in dhakad movie
Kangana Ranaut headlines this high-octane film with her role as Agent Agni. She portrays a bold and unrelenting spy with a dark past and unmatched skills in combat. The character is a rare blend of cold professionalism and emotional vulnerability.
Arjun Rampal plays Rudraveer, the antagonist who balances menace with charisma. His character is brutal and commanding, with a layered backstory that adds depth to his villainy.
Divya Dutta surprises with her role as Rohini, Rudraveer’s accomplice. Her sinister smile and eerie silence contribute significantly to the film’s darker tones.
Supporting cast includes Sharib Hashmi and Saswata Chatterjee in brief but impactful roles. Each character adds weight to the storyline, keeping the pace tight and the audience engaged.
The casting choices stand out for their boldness, with actors pushed far outside their comfort zones.
3. 🎶 Music and Soundtrack of dhakad movie
The film’s music is composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, with a few international artists contributing to the background score. Unlike traditional Bollywood scores, the soundtrack leans heavily into electronic, techno, and industrial sounds that enhance the movie’s spy-thriller vibe.
The background score is one of the strongest elements, especially during action sequences. It builds tension and complements Agni’s lethal persona.
Songs like “She’s On Fire” blend hard beats with empowering lyrics. The song became popular for its stylish choreography and music video featuring Kangana in a fiery avatar.
The lyrics, penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya, use strong metaphors and sharp rhythms to emphasize power and rebellion. Though the movie has few songs, each one has a distinct tone, matching the film’s intense visuals and pace.
Critics praised the album for being experimental and edgy, though it did not reach mainstream popularity due to the movie’s niche appeal.
4. Performances and Acting Reviews in dhakad movie
Kangana Ranaut’s performance is central to the film’s identity. She performs several complex stunts herself, showcasing immense physical preparation. Her portrayal of Agent Agni is both fierce and emotionally compelling.
Arjun Rampal delivers a chilling antagonist performance. He is controlled, stylish, and terrifying, particularly in scenes where his rage silently simmers beneath his calm demeanor.
Divya Dutta plays against type with her role as a cruel partner-in-crime. Her transformation into a menacing figure is subtle yet highly effective.
Supporting actors like Sharib Hashmi provide moments of levity and realism, anchoring the film’s more dramatic twists.
Despite the heavy action, the actors manage to infuse their characters with layers of emotion and purpose. The performance style leans toward cinematic realism with a touch of stylized theatricality.
5. ✍️ Dialogues and Writing Style in dhakad movie
The dialogues in the film are sharp and minimal. Agent Agni doesn’t speak much — her actions do the talking. When she does speak, it’s impactful, carrying a message of vengeance, justice, or rebellion.
The film avoids melodrama. Instead, it focuses on tight, punchy exchanges. This aligns with the spy-thriller tone, where silence and movement often say more than words.
Writers Ritesh Shah and Chintan Gandhi take an international approach to storytelling. There’s a heavy Western cinematic influence, especially in the way scenes are framed and how character motivations unfold through action rather than exposition.
The screenplay maintains a fast pace. Flashbacks are cleverly inserted, never slowing the momentum. Some viewers felt that more emotional buildup could have helped certain scenes land harder, but overall the writing favors action over introspection.
6. 🧃 Release and Promotion Strategy of dhakad movie
The movie had a high-profile promotional campaign. The first look poster featuring Kangana Ranaut as Agent Agni made a bold statement. It showed her holding heavy weaponry, dressed in tactical gear, with flames in the background. This image was shared widely on social media and created buzz.
The teaser and trailer were unveiled with much fanfare. The trailer received mixed responses, with many praising its action and visuals but some finding it too niche for mainstream appeal.
Promotions included appearances on reality shows, interviews with major entertainment channels, and viral social media reels. Kangana, known for her outspoken nature, used press interactions to highlight the uniqueness of her role and the film’s global scale.
The film was released in theatres on 20th May 2022. It aimed for a solo release but faced competition from other regional and Hindi-language films. The producers hoped for a strong urban and multiplex audience turnout, especially fans of action thrillers.
Despite aggressive marketing, the film struggled to connect with a wider audience. Many felt the promotional material focused heavily on action but did not clearly communicate the emotional stakes or the plot. However, the effort to push a female-led actioner at such a scale was appreciated.
7. 💰 Box Office and OTT Streaming Performance of dhakad movie
The box office performance was underwhelming. Made on a reported budget of ₹85 crores, the film managed to earn less than ₹5 crores in its theatrical run. Opening day collections were around ₹50 lakhs, which dropped further in the following days.
Analysts attributed the poor performance to multiple factors: niche genre, limited emotional connect, lack of strong word of mouth, and competition from other releases.
However, from a production point of view, the film was ambitious and technically sound. It was one of the most expensive Indian female-led action films, with international stunt coordinators and high-end equipment used during filming.
After its theatrical failure, the film found a digital audience on streaming platforms. It was eventually released on ZEE5. While it didn’t break records on OTT either, some viewers appreciated the visuals and action when they watched it at home without theatrical expectations.
Streaming numbers were modest, but online reviews indicated that the film gained cult interest among fans of stylized action and feminist-led stories. Despite the financial loss, the movie carved a niche for itself in digital circles.
8. 🎭 Critical and Public Reception of dhakad movie
Critics were divided in their response. Some lauded Kangana Ranaut’s commitment and the film’s international standard of action. The stylized visuals, choreography, and slick cinematography received appreciation from film technicians and visual effects professionals.
However, the screenplay and emotional depth were criticized. Many felt the film prioritized visuals over storytelling. Characters, though visually interesting, lacked strong development. The absence of light moments or emotional relief made the narrative feel too intense for general audiences.
Public response leaned negative in theatres. Word of mouth did not support the film’s second-day performance. Social media buzz turned into memes, comparing the movie with more successful action flicks. The box office result influenced audience perception significantly.
Post-theatrical release, however, some fans and film students appreciated the movie for trying something different. Many noted it as a bold experiment in Bollywood, especially with its lead female action star and non-formulaic narrative.
While not a hit, the film’s effort to break stereotypes and try new formats was acknowledged. It became part of conversations around gender roles in Hindi cinema and the future of genre diversity.
9. 🌍 Cultural Impact and Public Response of dhakad movie
The film made a statement by placing a woman at the center of a high-intensity action thriller. It challenged the conventional norms of Bollywood where female leads are often limited to supporting roles in action-oriented stories.
Even though the theatrical performance was disappointing, the film started important conversations around female representation in Indian cinema. Kangana Ranaut’s bold choice to take on such a physically demanding role was seen as a progressive move, especially in an industry still dominated by male-led action heroes.
Cultural impact was most visible in feminist film circles and among content creators who analyzed the movie’s themes. Discussions online centered around gender reversal, the portrayal of strength without sexualization, and the global influence on Indian action cinema.
The character of Agni became symbolic in some media spaces as an example of how female leads can carry action films. Posters and fan edits featuring her combat stances and weaponry were widely circulated even post-release.
Additionally, the movie became a reference point when talking about box office risks taken by female-led films. Despite financial loss, it contributed to reshaping the narrative that big-budget action movies should only be male-centric.
10. 📽️ Comparisons with Similar Movies to dhakad movie
The movie draws natural comparisons with films like Charlie’s Angels, Atomic Blonde, and Gunpowder Milkshake—films that feature strong female leads navigating violent, high-stakes missions. In Indian cinema, it was compared with Mardaani, Naam Shabana, and Raazi — all featuring women in action or intelligence roles.
Unlike Raazi, which leaned into emotional intelligence and geopolitics, this one emphasized physical combat and visual scale. Compared to Mardaani, it had a more stylized and international approach, focusing on slick visuals and fight choreography rather than grounded storytelling.
In terms of execution, many reviewers compared it to Hollywood action flicks due to its gunplay, close-combat techniques, and cinematography. While the intent was ambitious, the emotional undercurrent didn’t land as strongly as in some of the mentioned titles.
Technically, it was praised for visual effects and production value. The action sequences were on par with global cinema, but the film lacked the screenplay tightness found in global benchmarks like John Wick or Red Sparrow.
Ultimately, it stands apart for being one of India’s few female-led spy-action movies with a massive budget and intense styling.
11. 🏆 Awards and Recognition for dhakad movie
Despite its lackluster box office performance, the movie received recognition in specific technical categories at award events. The film’s action choreography, cinematography, and production design were nominated at a few Indian technical awards.
Kangana Ranaut was also acknowledged at some digital award shows for her dedication to the physically demanding role. She performed most of her stunts herself, and her transformation into a hard-hitting action figure was highlighted by industry insiders.
Although the movie didn’t secure wins in major mainstream award circuits, its sound design and editing were appreciated in niche film communities. It was also showcased at a few international genre film festivals under the “Women in Action Cinema” category.
Critics agreed that while the storytelling had its shortcomings, the film’s technical departments — particularly camera work, color grading, and sound effects — raised the bar for Indian action movies.
12. 🎬 Conclusion and Final Thoughts on dhakad movie
This movie is a daring entry in the world of Indian cinema. It may not have succeeded at the box office, but it dared to experiment and placed a powerful female lead in a genre usually reserved for male stars. The film pushed boundaries in terms of action, production design, and lead performance.
It shows how Bollywood is gradually opening up to diverse storytelling formats and characters. The scale, commitment, and ambition behind the project deserve appreciation, even if the final product didn’t fully resonate with audiences.
For viewers looking for stylized action, global aesthetics, and a break from formula films, it offers a unique experience. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s an important one — a step forward for those who believe in cinema that experiments with bold ideas and challenges the status quo.
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