In 2025, we saw a turn in the wheel at the intersection of YouTube commentary and Bollywood cinema, a full-blown digital war that became India’s preeminent pop culture debate. At the core of it was Dhruv Rathee, the most influential YouTuber in India and Dhurandhar, the high-budget Bollywood spy film which stars Ranveer Singh. What began as a review grew into a storm of opinions, reactions and social media fire.
The Spark That Ignited It All
The controversy broke out when Dhruv Rathee put out a very in-depth video on his channel, which questioned what he saw as the film’s true intentions. Rathee said the movie’s issue of politics in entertainment was, in fact, false propaganda, which he argued took real events and wove them into a particular point of view. This was not mild criticism from the YouTuber, who also charged the film with the practice of passing off fact and fiction in a way that may mislead the audience.
The Internet’s reaction
Once Rathee’s video went viral, reactions were quick. Some film personalities and fans took issue. Actor Ranvir Shorey entered the fray, which played out on social media. He questioned Rathee’s credibility and brought up past films Rathee had lauded, which include Gangs of Wasseypur. Their exchange went viral, which in turn made the issue bigger than the initial review.
Meanwhile social media population is divided. Some put behind Rathee’s request for more media influence review, while at the same time, some thought he was going too far or using the issue for attention.
In a turn of events which is ironic, YouTube had Dhurandhar ads playing in the dead of Rathee’s critical video at a time which had audiences in a chuckle, also which in turn brought up fresh talks of the issue with the algorithm and digital advertising.
Box Office Success vs. Digital Debate
Rathee’s criticism was what did it to the large-scale support the film received, as some actors in the film reported that Rathee’s video, in fact, went viral because of the movie’s success and not despite it.
What This Clash Really Reflects
Digital creators’ role in forming cultural discussions is on the rise. Rathee reports that YouTube stars are in fact a lot more than just reviewers; they are commentators who put forth ideas that spark debate, divide audiences, and also challenge what we see in mainstream entertainment. Also, at the same time, we see that the film industry in Bollywood still has large scale influence on audiences, which is not being diminished by online discussion.
A Moment Where Platforms Collide
The Dhruv Rathee Dhurandhar battle may be a single online feud, but it is a part of a larger trend that we see in our media landscape. As a YouTuber can spark up a national discussion on a major film, we are witnessing a new age in which social media players and traditional media intersect to form public opinion in unpredictable ways.
In the arena of bold criticism or as a digital provocateur, Rathee has this moment to prove that what he puts out is at once very compelling and very complex when it comes to YouTube’s take on Bollywood.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
