2025 has been a defining year for Hindi cinema — and especially for Vicky Kaushal and Ranveer Singh. With Chhaava and Dhurandhar storming past the ₹500 crore mark, both actors delivered career-defining performances rooted in strong nationalist themes. But despite the commercial success, Vicky is clear about one thing: patriotism cannot be reduced to a formula.
Speaking candidly about the growing wave of patriotism-driven films, the actor pushed back against the idea that nationalism alone guarantees box office glory.
“Calling It a Formula Is an Insult to the Emotion”
In a recent conversation, Vicky addressed whether patriotic storytelling has become a safe commercial bet. He dismissed the notion outright, saying that patriotism isn’t something filmmakers should manufacture for success.
According to him, patriotism is a lived truth — something that naturally finds expression through cinema, literature, and even sports. Treating it as a shortcut, he said, undermines the emotion itself.
Vicky also spoke about pride — not just personal, but collective — adding that such films allow India to confidently present its diversity, history, and identity on the global stage.
Chhaava: A Historical Epic That Struck a Chord
Directed by Laxman Utekar, Chhaava is based on the celebrated Marathi novel by Shivaji Sawant and chronicles the nine-year reign of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The film focuses on Sambhaji’s fierce resistance against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, blending history with emotional intensity.
Vicky’s transformation into the Maratha warrior earned widespread praise, while the supporting cast — Rashmika Mandanna as Maharani Yesubai Bhonsale and Akshaye Khanna as Aurangzeb — added depth to the narrative. Performances by Ashutosh Rana, Divya Dutta, Vineet Kumar Singh, and Diana Penty further strengthened the ensemble.
Dhurandhar: Patriotism in a Modern Spy Thriller
On the other end of the spectrum, Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar brought nationalism into a contemporary, high-stakes spy thriller. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film follows Hamza, an Indian undercover operative who infiltrates Karachi’s dangerous Lyari underworld to dismantle a terror network from within.
Ranveer’s intense, restrained performance anchored the film, supported by a powerful ensemble including Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi. The film’s success reinforced that patriotic themes can thrive even outside traditional historical narratives.
Final Words
What Chhaava and Dhurandhar proved in 2025 isn’t that patriotism sells — but that honest, rooted storytelling does. As Vicky Kaushal rightly puts it, nationalism on screen works best when it comes from truth, not templates.
The takeaway from this blockbuster year is simple: audiences don’t just want patriotic cinema — they want authentic stories that respect the emotion behind it.
