The Film Critics Guild (FCG), a private, self-appointed body, issued a strongly worded statement on Thursday condemning what it described as “targeted attacks, harassment, and hate” directed at film critics over their reviews of Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar.
The Guild warned that dissent against film reviews had allegedly escalated into “coordinated abuse”, personal attacks, and attempts to “discredit professional integrity”. It also accused unnamed individuals of intimidating critics, manipulating editorial positions, and pressuring publications to alter or dilute existing reviews.
Official statement from the Film Critics Guild on the targeted attacks and harassment faced by film critics and journalists this week. The Guild strongly condemns this behaviour and stands in solidarity with our colleagues. pic.twitter.com/R3ltKUkfFo
— Film Critics Guild (@theFCGofficial) December 11, 2025
However, the condemnation has been a source of amusement for users, not least because two of the primary individuals facing backlash for attacking Dhurandhar, Anupama Chopra and Sucharita Tyagi, also happen to be the top office bearers of the same Guild that has now issued this broad condemnation. Chopra serves as the chairperson while Tyagi is the vice chair person of the self-appointed guild.
Leadership under spotlight
Anupama Chopra, in her capacity as Chairperson of FCG, has positioned the statement as a defence of “editorial autonomy” and “independent criticism”. Yet, it was her own review of Dhurandhar that first ignited the controversy. Critics and audiences accused her of offering a politically slanted, dismissive critique of a film they viewed as sincere and compelling.
The backlash grew so quickly and so intensely that Chopra’s negative review was quietly taken down. While no official explanation was issued, social media users interpreted the deletion as tacit acknowledgment of overreach or misjudgment.
Similarly, Sucharita Tyagi, Vice Chairperson of FCG and who describes herself as an “independent critic”, courted criticism for her sharp attack on Dhurandhar. Viewers questioned the apparent inconsistency between her harsh assessment of Dhar’s film and her effusive praise of Pathaan, a comparison that became a recurring theme in online discussions.
Tyagi’s stance, many argued, exemplified the selective standard-setting that self-described critics employ based on their personal convictions and political ideology, which naturally impairs their ability to publish honest assessment of movies.
The Guild is condemning criticism of critics, while its chairperson and vice chairperson are themselves central actors in the very controversy that prompted the statement.
The statement appears less like a principled defence of free expression and more like an attempt at reputational self-preservation by a leadership facing intense public scrutiny for their intellectual dishonesty.
