Dhurandhar teaser sparks backlash over Ranveer Singh and Sara Arjun’s 20-year age gap

Ranveer Singh rang in his 40^th birthday with the teaser of his upcoming film Dhurandhar — a slick, espionage-style thriller packed with drama, action and a powerful ensemble cast. But it wasn’t the storyline, the visuals or the soundtrack that had everyone talking. It was the casting of 20-year old Sara Arjun opposite Ranveer that quietly stole the spotlight and not in the way the makers may have hoped.

Sara Arjun, who audiences remember as a talented child actor, is now front and centre as the female lead in Dhurandhar. With a 20-year age gap between the leads, social media quickly picked up on the contrast, especially since the teaser seems to position the two as equals, if not more.

While the film’s plot is still under wraps, the optics of the pairing raised questions about yet another potentially mismatched on-screen romance. The concern isn’t new, but it’s increasingly relevant: why are significantly (emphasis on the significantly) younger women still being case opposite middle-aged men in major commercial films?

To be fair, nothing in the teaser confirms a romantic subplot between Ranveer and Sara. The film, directed by Aditya Dhar and produced by Jio Studios, is said to be inspired by the life of India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval — which hints at a political action thriller.

But given Bollywood’s track record, audiences are understandably cautious. If this pairing does turn romantic, it would follow a pattern that viewers are beginning to grow weary of.

With names like Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, and Akshaye Khanna on the cast list, Dhurandhar is clearly aiming big. The teaser promises high-stakes storytelling, intense performances and a cinematic scale. But despite all that, the most talked-about detail remains the 20-year difference between its lead actors.

It’s not a question of talent — both Ranveer and Sara have plenty of it. It’s about perception, timing and growing audience preference for more balanced, believable casting.

There’s no denying Dhurandhar looks promising on paper: an action-packed political thriller with credible names attached. But unless the film handles this pairing with nuance (or surprises with a non-romantic dynamic), the casting could become a distraction — or worse, a dealbreaker for many.

In an era where audiences are asking for more representatives, balanced storytelling, this kind of age-gap pairing feels increasingly outdated. Let’s hope Dhurandhar has more up its sleeve than what the teaser suggests.