Sanyal vs ISI: Why The Israel Video Blackmail Changed Everything!

Character Motivations Explained: Why Ajay Sanyal Pocketed The Cigarette and Blackmailed the ISI in Dhurandhar: The Revenge

Discover the hidden logic behind Ajay Sanyal’s cold-blooded moves in Dhurandhar 2. From cigarette DNA to ISI blackmail, we decode it all!

The theatres in Kolkata are shaking. Dhurandhar: The Revenge has not just arrived; it has conquered the Indian psyche with a force we haven’t seen in years. Everyone is talking about Ranveer Singh’s transformation into Hamza, but if you look closely at the shadows, there is a man pulling every single string with

a cigarette in his hand and a coldness in his eyes.

Ajay Sanyal, played with terrifying precision by R. Madhavan, is currently the most analysed character in the country. He is the master of “peak detailing,” a term director Aditya Dhar has turned into a cinematic signature.

The Mystery of the Pocketed Cigarette

There is a brief, almost blink-and-miss-it moment in the film that has triggered a thousand Reddit threads.

While talking to Hamza, Sanyal finishes his cigarette, but instead of flicking the butt away like a normal person, he calmly tucks it into his pocket.

Why would a top-tier intelligence director do that? The internet immediately went into a frenzy. The most popular theory was that Sanyal is so paranoid about his identity that he refuses to leave behind any forensic evidence, such as DNA or fingerprints, even in a secure location.

It makes him look like a ghost—a man who exists but leaves no trace of his existence behind.

However, the reality is a bit more grounded and, frankly, quite surprising. Madhavan himself addressed this “scientific” detail recently. While the fans wanted a spy-thriller explanation, the actor shared that the gesture was actually about environmental protection.

Cigarette butts are made of cellulose acetate, a plastic that takes years to decompose and fragments into microplastics. By pocketing the butt, Sanyal isn’t just protecting his DNA; he is protecting the soil from toxic substances.

It is a bizarre mix of a cold-blooded spy and a conscious citizen, and that duality is exactly why this character is haunting our social media feeds.

Blackmailing the ISI: A High-Stakes Gamble

According to a detailed breakdown by Esquire India, the most pivotal “thing” Sanyal does occurs during the film’s high-octane climax.

When Hamza is captured and brutally tortured by the ISI, Sanyal doesn’t send a rescue team. Instead, he picks up a phone. He blackmails the ISI Director, General Shahnawaz, with a series of videos showing the General meeting with Israeli officials—a move that would be political suicide in Pakistan.

This isn’t just a plot device. It explains Sanyal’s core motivation: he views the world as a game of leverage, not bullets. He chooses to “lose the asset” rather than lose the agent.

The irony, as pointed out in several spoiler threads on r/bollywood, is that while the ISI chief is often portrayed as a fool for agreeing so quickly, Sanyal’s genius lies in knowing exactly which nerve to pinch. He understands that for a man in power, a leaked video is more dangerous than a surgical strike.

The Sacred and the Profane: The Gurbani Controversy

The film hasn’t been without its share of fire. A major controversy erupted over a scene where Sanyal recites verses from the Dasam Granth while holding a cigarette. This led to an FIR being filed at Mumbai’s Mulund Police Station by the president of Sikhs in Maharashtra, who claimed the depiction was deeply hurtful to religious sentiments.

Madhavan had to step in with a video clarification, explaining that the intent was never to disrespect the Gurbani. He revealed that Aditya Dhar was extremely careful during the shoot, ensuring that the cigarette was properly extinguished before the sacred lines were delivered.

There was no smoke in the frame, no smoke from the mouth. But the damage in the digital space was done.

This “thing” Sanyal did—reciting Guru Gobind Singh’s words while trying to persuade Jaskirat Singh Rangi to join the mission—was meant to show how he uses a person’s own faith to radicalise them for the state’s cause. It is a manipulative, brilliant, and highly controversial character trait.

The Man Who Never Blinks

As an analyst who has been tracking this franchise since Dhurandhar 1, I believe Ajay Sanyal is the most “real” depiction of the Indian Deep State we have ever seen.

He isn’t a hero.

He is a functionary who has replaced his soul with a checklist of national security priorities.

Whether it is validating demonetization to stop fake currency or blackmailing foreign generals, Sanyal represents the “New India” that doesn’t care about being liked, only about being effective.

The cigarette-in-the-pocket move?

That is the ultimate flex.

It tells the audience that Sanyal is always thinking five steps ahead—whether it is about a DNA trail or the environment.

It makes him unpredictable. Is he a patriot or just a very organised sociopath?

That is the question that will keep Dhurandhar 2 in the theatres until it hits the Rs 1,500 crore mark.
Nitesh Mishra – Box Office Analyst