📌 Key Points
- Aditya Dhar initially hesitated to work with Preetisheel due to rumors of arrogance and high cost.
- Dhar found Preetisheel to be warm, grounded, and an artist of extraordinary ability.
- Preetisheel and her team showed relentless commitment, working long hours with little sleep.
- Dhar emphasized the importance of forming opinions based on personal experience, not hearsay.
Aditya Dhar reflects on his initial reservations about working with a Dhurandhar crew member, Preetisheel, due to preconceived notions. He shares how meeting her shattered those assumptions, revealing her talent, warmth, and relentless dedication to the project.
Initial Hesitations and Misconceptions
Filmmaker Aditya Dhar is taking a trip down memory lane as he revisits his journey on the Dhurandhar franchise, led by Ranveer Singh . In a candid confession, the director has shared that he was initially reluctant to work with a particular crew member after hearing they “arrogant” and “too expensive” feedback.
“Here’s to Preetisheel, my Sardarni sister from Pathankot. Mera Sher. When I first heard her name, I’ll be honest, I was hesitant. There were all these opinions floating around, “she’s arrogant,” “she’s too expensive,” “she only does prestige projects.” And then I met her. In that one meeting, all of it just fell apart,” Aditya wrote.
The director continued, “It reminded me of something I’ve learned the hard way in this industry: never build your truth on borrowed opinions. More often than not, they come from a place that has nothing to do with the person you’re about to meet. What I found in Preeti was not just an artist of extraordinary ability but a deeply warm, grounded and fiercely loving human being.”
“The laughter we shared in the middle of madness, the long conversations about life, the endless hours spent obsessing over every character, those are memories I will carry with me for the rest of my life. There was something about her presence, that beautiful, reassuring smile, that made even the most impossible days feel manageable. And then there was her constant voice in my ear, lifting me up in ways I didn’t even know I needed,” he added.
The Reality of Working with Preetisheel
According to Aditya, what she and her team pulled off on this film is nothing “short of extraordinary”. He wrote, “When most of the crew was waking up, they were already on set. And when everyone wrapped, they were still there. Running on barely 2–3 hours of sleep, day after day, with a kind of relentless focus that you rarely witness. No complaints. No noise. Just pure commitment to the vision. There were more than a hundred character designs across both parts (some extremely complicated ones like Nawab Shafiq and Bade Saab). Thousands of faces shaped, aged, transformed. An army of nearly 20,000 junior artists brought to life through detail, texture and truth. But beyond the numbers, what stays with me is the intent.”
Aditya notes for Preeti, it was never about “looks.” “It was always about people. About making sure every character, no matter how small, felt real, lived-in and honest. She treated each face with respect, as if it had a story worth telling. That’s rare,” he added.
Aditya continued the praise in his comment section, revealing that Preeti is not just my HOD.
Dedication and Extraordinary Ability
“She’s family. A constant in my life, in cinema and beyond. Preeti, thank you for standing by me, for believing in me when I couldn’t see it myself and for pouring your heart into Dhurandhar the way you did. And this is just the beginning for us. Love, always,” he mentioned.
Dhurandhar focused on Ranveer Singh’s character, Hamza, infiltrating the terror networks based in Lyari. The film’s sequel delves into the origins of Ranveer Singh’s character, Hamza aka Jaskirat Singh Rangi, revealing the motivations behind his mission. The film also takes the story forward, showing him taking control of the power dynamics in Lyari while working to dismantle a terror network in Pakistan that threatens India.
The spy thriller stars Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, R. Madhavan and Sanjay Dutt in key roles.
Aditya Dhar’s experience underscores the importance of judging individuals based on firsthand experience. Preetisheel’s dedication and talent ultimately proved invaluable to the Dhurandhar project, showcasing her exceptional artistry and commitment.
