New Delhi, Dec. 10 -- Five days after its release, Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar has already reshaped industry conversations, audience expectations and even the cultural vocabulary around mainstream Indian thrillers. Early box-office numbers and social-media chatter indicate that the film has not just landed - it has detonated.

With its layered writing, high-octane staging and emotionally charged performances, Dhurandhar has become one of the most talked-about films of the year.

Part One of Dhar's ambitious saga follows Hamza Ali Mazari, played by Ranveer Singh, as he slips into Karachi's criminal landscape in an undercover capacity. To build access and influence, Hamza gradually works his way into the infamous Lyari circuit.

He strategical...