Dhar was born on 12 March 1983 in New Delhi into a Kashmiri Pandit family.[4][5] His mother is Suneeta Dhar, former Dean at Delhi University, where he also graduated before spending nearly two decades with 'Music Theatre,' shaping his screenwriting career.[6][7] In 2021, he co-founded his own production company, B62 Studios, alongwith his elder brother Lokesh Dhar.[8]
Dhar was scheduled to collaborate with Vicky Kaushal again for the mythological superhero film The Immortal Ashwatthama.[29] In 2021, the film was planned as a trilogy and was expected to begin filming;[30] however, it was shelved due to the COVID-19 pandemic and budgetary constraints.[31][32] His other cinematic works under his banner B62 Studios include the critically acclaimed political film Article 370 and the horror thriller Baramulla; in which he also served a co-writer of the films.[33]
Upon its release, Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) drew both praise and criticism for its political overtones. The Guardian reported that the film was described as "patriotic by some and propaganda by others".[44]
Director Aditya Dhar stated that the film was apolitical and intended to depict real events, saying in a Reuters interview that Uri had "no political leanings" and was meant as "a dedication to the Indian Army".[45] In the same report, film critic Rajeev Masand described the film as having a clear partisan message, stating there was "no confusion on the agenda" and characterizing it as a propaganda film.[46] Dhar responded to such criticism by asserting that the film followed events chronologically and was intended as a tribute to the armed forces.[47]
Subsequent projects associated with Dhar have also prompted debate. In 2023, he produced the political drama series Article 370. The South China Morning Post reported that some critics viewed the series as aligned with government policy and described it as "pro-government" and "agenda-driven".[48]
The 2025 spy thriller Dhurandhar similarly received a mixed response. Hindustan Times reported that while the film was widely praised, it also "faced criticism, with some calling it a propaganda film".[49] Writing in The Indian Express, critic Anas Arif argued that the film relied heavily on nationalist themes, stating that it "reduces a faith to a caricature of barbarism" and accusing the filmmaker of prioritizing propaganda over narrative complexity.[50] Rahul Bhatt of The Wire described the film as "rage-bait", characterizing its approach as overtly pro-establishment.[51]
Other filmmakers and actors publicly defended the film. NDTV reported that director Sudhir Mishra praised Dhurandhar as "well made" and described Dhar as "extremely skilled".[52] Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap stated that aside from what he described as a few "propaganda dialogues", the film was "brilliant in execution", comparing it to international spy thrillers such as Zero Dark Thirty.[53] Actor Nikitin Dheer also expressed support for the film on social media, saying it countered "false narratives" and cautioning audiences against being "misled by pseudo-intellectuals", as reported by Hindustan Times.[54]
Filmography
Key
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Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released
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