Paresh Rawal Regrets Calling Critic Anupama Chopra ‘Miss Irrelevant’ Over Her ‘Dhurandhar’ Review; Here’s Why
Veteran actor Paresh Rawal regrets his 2025 tweet calling film critic Anupama Chopra 'Miss Irrelevant' after her critique of 'Dhurandhar'. In a recent interview, Rawal called his post unwanted and unwarranted, advocating for constructive criticism and condemning online abuse.
Veteran Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal has admitted to regretting his controversial social media outburst against film critic Anupama Chopra. In an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Rawal opened up about the 2025 incident where he publicly labelled Chopra "Miss Irrelevant" following her less-than-favourable review of the Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar. Priyadarshan CONFIRMS Exit From ‘Hera Pheri 3’, Says Akshay Kumar-Starrer May Never Hit the Screens.
Paresh Rawal on His Tweet Targeting Anupama Chopra
Rawal’s remarks, made in response to Chopra's critical assessment of Dhurandhar, had quickly gone viral, sparking widespread debate across the industry and among netizens. Reflecting on the incident, Rawal stated, "I should not have done it." He further elaborated that his tweet was "unwanted and unwarranted," acknowledging that his aggressive presence on social media had even taken a toll on his health.
"You came and saw it. It's an audiovisual medium. What was the actor's mood that day? How did he perform? There are many reasons. You didn't have time to go into it," Rawal explained in his interview, emphasising the complexities of filmmaking that reviewers might not fully grasp. While still asserting his belief that Dhurandhar was a good film, he stressed that criticism should be constructive rather than dismissive. "I felt Dhurandhar is a good film. Whether people like it or not is their choice, but criticism should be constructive," he added.
The ‘Dhurandhar’ Controversy and Chopra's Critique
Released theatrically on December 5, 2025, Aditya Dhar's directorial Dhurandhar quickly became a box office phenomenon. The spy action thriller, starring Ranveer Singh as a R&AW agent alongside an ensemble cast including Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, and Sara Arjun, garnered immense commercial success, grossing over INR 1,307.35 crore worldwide.
However, its intense portrayal of hyper-masculinity, aggressive nationalism, and an anti-Pakistan narrative did not sit well with several critics, including Anupama Chopra.
Chopra, in her review, described the 214-minute-long film as "exhausting, relentless and frenzied," criticising its excessive violence and an "over-the-top nationalist tone." This critique ignited a strong reaction from various quarters of the film fraternity, culminating in Rawal's sharp public rebuke. ‘Damage Control?’: Abhijit Iyer-Mitra Calls Out Sanjiv Goenka’s Praise for Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar’ Amid Backlash Over Anupama Chopra’s Review, As Film Critic Deletes Video (View Post).
Watch Paresh Rawal's Full Interview:
Condemnation of Online Abuse and A Call for Respect
Beyond expressing personal regret for his tweet, Paresh Rawal also strongly condemned the subsequent online abuse and threats directed at Anupama Chopra. "Don't abuse Anupama Chopra. She is a lady after all. She is an educated and cultured person," Rawal stated, calling for respect towards the critic. Did Paresh Rawal EXIT ‘Hera Pheri 3’ Again? Director Priyadarshan Breaks Silence.
He also highlighted the grace demonstrated by both Anupama Chopra and her husband, filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, following the public incident, revealing that they later reached out to discuss the work of his son, Aditya Rawal.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 16, 2026 05:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
