Ram Gopal Varma’s latest praise for Dhurandhar has once again brought Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups into the conversation. Although the filmmaker did not name Toxic in his latest post, his comments about filmmaking and the timing of his posts have led many to question whether he was indirectly taking a dig at the Yash-starrer.
What RGV Said About Dhurandhar?
RGV praised Dhurandhar for its natural, relatable characters. Drawing a comparison with his 1998 gangster film Satya, he said the characters in his film looked like real people, while “Dhurandhar took this to another level” in a social media post.
Varma called this “the only lesson worth stealing for all filmmakers.” He also criticised big-budget films that spend heavily on visuals but fail to make their characters feel real.
He also praised the way the hero is shown, saying he is not shown as “a walking poster who must be worshipped at all costs.” Instead, the hero can “wait tables, listen instead of speaking, miscalculate, get dirty” and even appear less important when other characters are around.
He also praised Akshaye Khanna’s Rehman Dakait, saying the character does not exist simply “to look iconic in a still.” According to Varma, Rehman has his own personality, fears and mannerisms. He added that the supporting characters also feel like real people rather than characters created only to make the hero look bigger.
What every film maker should understand from #dhurandhar is that it is full of living, breathing characters who seem as real as you and me sitting and watching in the theatre, hence making it highly relatable. Satya is about gangsters, but be it Bhiku Matre, Kallu Mama or Vakil…
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) August 31, 2026
Varma also criticised films that depend too much on slow motion, flashy visuals and artificial editing. He said, “Violence in Dhurandhar has a before and an after,” because the characters face consequences for their actions. He compared this with films where “violence is just a spectacle minus context.”
He also wrote, “Attitude is the plot,” while criticising movies that focus more on style than character and story.
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Is RGV Taking A Dig At Toxic?
Toxic was released on August 26, while Varma posted about watching Dhurandhar again that day, followed by similar posts on August 27 and 29. With Toxic reportedly slowing at the box office, his repeated praise for Dhurandhar has drawn comparisons, especially since the films were earlier set for a March 2026 clash.
Watching #Dhurandhar again and again https://t.co/Auexhl5W0n
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) August 29, 2026
The speculation is also linked to Varma’s earlier comments, when he said Dhurandhar respected the audience’s intelligence while Toxic presumed otherwise.
THE #Dhuroxic PARK
NO, I am not talking about TWO BIG FILMS #Dhurandhar2 and #Toxic releasing on March 19th. I am actually talking about a NEVER BEFORE SEEN or EXPERIENCED mythical archetype EXPLODING in the GRAND ARENA of INDIAN CINEMAS.
It is a BATTLE between DAVID AND GOLIATH…— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) February 22, 2026
One X user echoed his criticism, claiming Toxic lacked realism and emotional connection.
Yes sir, In #TOXIC, that realism and connection are missing audience is not feeling any emotion . The characters and emotions feel totally artificial in toxic and the dialogues are worse they are not flowing naturally like in animal and telugu dubbing is very funny
— Ajay (@Ajay77444968) August 31, 2026
ALSO READ: Toxic Box Office Collection Day 5: Yash Starrer Remains Steady Despite Sunday Dip
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