R. Madhavan Finally Speaks On The Smoking During Gurbani Scene In Dhurandhar 2

The release of ‘Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge’ on March 19, 2026, has triggered an enormous, highly polarized reaction all across the country. The movie, directed by Aditya Dhar and featuring Ranveer Singh, is being termed a ‘masterpiece’ and ‘paradigm shift’ for the Indian mainstream movie industry. While Ranveer Singh’s performance as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, also known as Hamza, is being termed the best performance of his career, the movie has also received enormous acclaim for the other cast, including Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, and R Madhavan, among others.

However, the movie’s narrative has provoked sharp criticism, with some sections of the audience and public figures calling the movie ‘loud propaganda’ and ‘outdated jingoism.’ However, the movie has elicited yet another controversy, with the movie’s scene being deemed to have hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community. The backlash centers on a sequence featuring R Madhavan, prompting both public criticism and legal action. Now, the actor has reacted to the claims.

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Controversy erupts over the Gurbani recitation scene

The problem lies in the scene in which Madhavan’s character, Ajay Sanyal, is seen reciting a verse of the Dasam Granth, which is written by Guru Gobind Singh, and is also observed smoking a cigarette. This scene has been heavily criticized for being highly offensive and disrespectful. According to reports, the FIR has been registered at the Mulund Police Station in Mumbai. The FIR has reportedly been registered on the complaint of Gurjyot Singh Keer, the leader of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the president of the Sikhs in Maharashtra.

The scene has also been condemned on social media by Keer. In his post, Keer has stated that the scene in which the character is seen reciting Gurbani and smoking is “deeply hurtful and unacceptable.” Keer further stated that Gurbani has huge spiritual significance and should not be considered dialogue.

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A post shared by Gurjyot Singh Keer (@gurjyotsinghkeer)

In the scene, Madhavan’s character is seen trying to convince Ranveer Singh’s character, Jaskirat Singh Rangi, to be a part of the mission in secret.

R Madhavan clarifies what actually happened

In response to the backlash, Madhavan had posted a video on Instagram in which he asserted that the allegations are false and have resulted due to a misunderstanding. In the video, he says,

On behalf of the entire Dhurandhar family, thank you so much for the love you have shown our film. We don’t know how to express ourselves… Recently, we came to know that some people were hurt because in one scene of the film, while reciting lines from Guru Gobind Singh ji’s Dasam Granth, I was seen smoking a cigarette. I assure you, this is not correct—it is a misunderstanding.

Furthermore, R Madhavan stated that there is no sign of smoking in the final shot and that he has properly stubbed the cigarette. Speaking about this, he says,

Before delivering those lines, Aditya Dhar, who is very mindful about such things, had clearly told me to put out the cigarette. There would be no smoke from my mouth, no smoke visible on screen, and no cigarette in my hand, because this is sacred and pure for us as well.

The actor also reiterated his respect for the Sikh community and said that they never intended to hurt their religious sentiments. He also mentioned that he often goes to the Golden Temple before the release of his films. R Madhavan says,

We stand with the entire Sikh community and always will. We have deep respect for them. In fact, before every film release, I visit the Golden Temple—everyone knows that. Please believe that we had no intention of hurting anyone, and we have not done so in this film… If anyone has felt bad unknowingly, I apologize, but we have certainly not done this intentionally. Stay happy, and happy Dhurandhar 2 to all of you.

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A post shared by R. Madhavan (@actormaddy)

What do you think about this controversy? Do share your thoughts with us in the comments section of this article.