Remixing retro songs isn’t a new trend in Bollywood, but only a handful of films truly pull it off with an element of novelty. Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, is one of them. Instead of treating nostalgia like a gimmick, the makers have tried to pull off something new by raiding Bollywood’s musical attic, dusting off golden oldies, and twisting them into wicked, pulse-thumping partners to the film’s on-screen violence.
The result? It’s bold, mischievous, and surprisingly seamless. The music of the film smiles sweetly while stabbing you in the gut. Gone are the days when these songs tugged at the heart. In Aditya Dhar’s action drama act as unlikely accessories as the narrative pumps adrenaline and teases danger. Music doesn’t accompany the action here, it provokes its purpose and heightens the impact. The composition by Shashwat Sachdev is mixed with something darker, louder, and far more unhinged, yet it has its unique charm.
In essence, Dhurandhar uses retro music to create a unique sonic landscape, making classic tunes feel fresh and relevant within its contemporary story where action frequently turns into gore.
Na Toh Karwan ki Talaash Hai
As the movie begins to build up the story, fans get treated to an amazing soundtrack to mark Ranveer Singh’s dhunadhaar entry, with the evergreen qawwali Na To Karavan Ki Talaash Hai. An updated version of the song from the 1960 classic film Barsaat Ki Raat gets a twist of EDM and metal riffs, and the outcome is a score that defines Singh’s swag and rugged look as the hardened spy Hamza. Beneath Hamza’s brutality and silence lies a nomad forever searching for belonging, for a caravan that may never exist. While the younger generation might not be familiar with this tune, the song is now creating waves all across, adding a fresh layer to the storyline. It defines his gravitas with aching beauty, layering the action with an emotional undercurrent few would expect.
Rambha Ho
Just as when your adrenaline begins to rush, fans were treated to another thumping hit. This one is a breezy, happy-go-lucky number that saw Prema Narayan dancing through the carefree chaos of a Goa carnival in the 1981 potboiler, Armaan. In Dhurandhar, Rambha Ho finds a sinister expression as the introductory number for Akshaye Khanna’s ruthless Rehman Dakait.
Pleasure, indulgence, desire – everything the original song celebrated – gets reimagined as Rehman’s twisted ecstasy in orchestrating death. For him, violence is the carnival, and every brutal kill is just another rhythm to groove to. The song becomes his theme, his swagger, his idea of bliss.
Hawa Hawa
While the music defined each character and their streak of violence, how can we forget Sanjay Dutt’s iconic entry as Jinn, a ghost in the underworld – the storm no one sees coming. Dutt as the Jinn rises, and with him, vengeance turns into promise. Against an all-white backdrop, dressed to match, he arrives with a new persona: SP Chaudhary Aslam, a man driven solely by the mission to kill Rehman Dakait.
Dutt’s entry is set to the appealingly reimagined Hawa Hawa, an eighties hit by Pakistani pop star Hassan Jahangir. The song serves to outline the era of Aslam’s youth. It also acts as a breezy introduction to Sanjay Dutt’s character – a man who lives on his own terms and harbours a streak of rebellion.
All of these songs show up in completely unexpected ways and in completely unexpected parts with different vocals, music, and instrumentation, feeling fresh and new. The songs feel good, too, because you realise you’ve heard them before, and they sound familiar.
Run Down The City – Monica
What once was a seductive Helen cabaret about longing transforms into pure cinematic chaos in Dhurandhar’s explosive action sequence. Composer Shashwat Sachdev gives the Caravan classic a bold recharged identity, renaming it Run Down The City – Monica. While some of the iconic lyrics remain, the new additions expand on the film’s themes, keeping the adrenaline high. The result is a track that not only honours the original but also elevates the intensity, a pulsating backdrop designed to send the audience’s heartbeat racing.
Na Dil De Pardesi Nu (Jogi)
Serving as the overall theme song, this track threads the film’s emotional intensity, its cultural grit, and its larger-than-life aura into a single heartbeat. The soulful Punjabi duet originally sung by Mohammed Sadiq and Ranjit Kaur, with music by Charanjit Ahuja and lyrics by Babu Singh Maan, holds Dhurandhar together. The lyrics, Na de dil pardesi nu, Tainu nit da roona pai jau ga (Don’t give your heart to a stranger, you’ll end up crying every single day), might sound from the perspective of a dejected lover, but it defines Ranveer’s character arc, who is also given a chance to save his country despite being convicted for a heinous crime. This theme song pulls the correct strings of emotions.
Director Aditya Dhar uses these familiar tunes during key action sequences and emotional beats, enhancing the drama and connecting with audiences across generations. The soundtrack isn’t just background music; it’s integral to the narrative, reflecting character journeys and adding layers of emotional depth, making it a standout aspect of the film.
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