Saumya Tandon, actress from Dhurandhar, responds strongly to netizens who called the film ‘misogynistic’. She takes an indirect jab at Pathaan and Animal, defending her role and the film’s narrative.
Updated: December 10, 2025 2:59 PM IST
Amidst the ongoing debate over the portrayal of women in Dhurandhar, helmed by Aditya Dhar, actress Saumya Tandon has come forward to defend the film from accusations of being misogynistic. The film, which features a strong ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, and Sara Arjun, has come under fire from certain netizens who claim it promotes harmful gender stereotypes.
Saumya’s Strong Defense of Dhurandhar
In response to a female netizen’s tweet criticizing the film, Saumya said, “Agreed. In the universe Dhurandhar is set in, with the societal norms the director chose to depict, it is a male-dominated world, yet the women are treated with dignity. They aren’t beaten, objectified, or shown as one of many wives, even though that society could have allowed it.”
Saumya continued, and added her take while taking an indirect dig on Deepika Padukone’s Pathaan and Rashmika Mandanna’s Animal, adding, “Sorry that the grain of this story doesn’t allow for glamorous heroines singing songs on exotic beaches, that may work for other scripts, but not in this one. That said, as an actor, I do hope I also get opportunities to be part of women-centric narratives.”
The tweet was a direct response to an earlier post from a netizen who took aim at the film and its portrayal of male characters. The critic wrote, “Step 1: be a male actor in Bollywood who is known for being a soft-boy. Step 2: realize you are becoming irrelevant… Step 3: star in a misogynistic movie as a manchild with 0 emotional intelligence… Step 4: promote aggression and misogyny under the name of ‘masculinity’…” This post was a scathing attack on Ranveer Singh’s character and the film’s overall messaging, accusing it of glorifying toxic masculinity.
Agreed.
In the universe Dhurandhar is set in, with the societal norms the director chose to depict, it is a male-dominated world , yet the women are treated with dignity. They aren’t beaten, objectified, or shown as one of many wives, even though that society could have allowed… https://t.co/mzSZ2I3N7q— Saumya Tandon (@saumyatandon) December 10, 2025
Reactions to Saumya’s Response
Saumya’s comments on social media sparked strong reactions from netizens. Some praised her for standing up for the film, noting that her portrayal in Dhurandhar was far from objectifying. Others, however, continued to question the movie’s gender dynamics and the portrayal of its male leads. Still, Saumya remained steadfast in her defense, stressing that the film’s narrative was grounded in a particular socio-cultural context that warranted its characters’ actions and dialogues.
More about Dhurandhar
Saumya Tandon plays the role of Akshaye Khanna’s wife in the film Dhurandhar as Ulfat Baloch. Her character is a small but intense part, and she’s shared scenes with powerhouse performers Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna. Saumya has mentioned that this role is one of the most intense she’s taken on, showcasing a different side of her acting skills.
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