Dhoom (franchise)

Overview

Dhoom is an Indian Hindi-language action film franchise produced by Yash Raj Films (YRF). The series is known for its high-octane action sequences, motorcycle and vehicle stunts, heist plots, and chart-topping music. Each instalment follows Mumbai police officer Jai Dixit and his comic sidekick Ali Akbar Fateh Khan as they pursue a stylish, charismatic antagonist who is a different actor in every film. The franchise is widely regarded as one of Bollywood's most successful action series.

Key facts

Background

The franchise was conceived as a contemporary action vehicle for Yash Raj Films, a banner historically associated with romance and family dramas. With Dhoom, YRF moved decisively into the urban action space, building the series around a cat-and-mouse template in which a confident antagonist drives the narrative and the police protagonists react to his schemes. The model of casting a major star as the antagonist in each successive film became a defining feature of the franchise.

Films

Dhoom (2004)

Directed by Sanjay Gadhvi and written by Vijay Krishna Acharya, Dhoom introduced ACP Jai Dixit (Abhishek Bachchan) and the motorcycle mechanic-turned-informer Ali (Uday Chopra). The antagonist Kabir was played by John Abraham, with Esha Deol and Rimi Sen in supporting roles. The film's title track, composed by Pritam with vocals by Sunidhi Chauhan, became a major hit. Set largely in Mumbai and Goa, it revolves around a gang of bikers executing daylight robberies.

Dhoom 2 (2006)

Also directed by Sanjay Gadhvi, Dhoom 2 (subtitled Back in Action) expanded the scale of the series with international locations including Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro and Namibia. Hrithik Roshan played the master thief Aryan, while Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Bipasha Basu and Uday Chopra appeared alongside Bachchan. The film became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of its year and is credited with cementing the franchise's identity.

Dhoom 3 (2013)

Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, Dhoom 3 starred Aamir Khan as the antagonist Sahir, with Katrina Kaif, Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra in principal roles. Set primarily in Chicago, the film involved a circus performer who targets a bank with which his family has a personal history. Dhoom 3 became one of the highest-grossing Indian films at the time of its release and was distributed widely overseas.

Recurring characters

• Jai Dixit — A Mumbai Police officer leading the investigations, played by Abhishek Bachchan.
• Ali Akbar Fateh Khan — A street-smart bike enthusiast and Jai's partner, played by Uday Chopra; provides the comic relief.
• The antagonist — A different stylised criminal in each film, played in turn by John Abraham, Hrithik Roshan and Aamir Khan.

Music

Pritam composed the soundtracks for all three films. The "Dhoom Machale" theme has appeared in different versions across the series, with vocals by Sunidhi Chauhan in the first film, Tata Young in Dhoom 2, and Aditi Singh Sharma in Dhoom 3. The franchise's music has been a significant commercial component of its release strategy.

Box office and reception

Each successive film outperformed the previous one at the box office. Dhoom 2 set records for a Hindi film in 2006, and Dhoom 3 opened to record-setting first-day collections in India and is regarded as a landmark in the modern era of Bollywood blockbusters. Critically, the films received mixed reviews, with praise typically directed at the action choreography, music and antagonist performances.

Significance

The Dhoom franchise marked Yash Raj Films' successful diversification into action cinema and helped popularise the slick, internationally located heist film within mainstream Hindi cinema. The decision to recast the villain in each film, supported by aggressive marketing, became a much-imitated template. The series also contributed to the wider visibility of motorcycle culture and stunt action in Bollywood productions, and influenced the production scale of subsequent Hindi action films.

Spin-offs and merchandise

The franchise has been associated with a range of tie-ins, including animated content, music compilations and merchandise built around its branding. An animated television series titled Dhoom 3: The Animated Series was developed in association with broadcasters in India. Discussions about a fourth instalment have been reported in the trade press at various points but no film has been released.

Related topics

• Yash Raj Films
• Aditya Chopra
• Abhishek Bachchan
• Hrithik Roshan
• Aamir Khan
• John Abraham
• Pritam
• Vijay Krishna Acharya
• Sanjay Gadhvi
• Bollywood
• List of highest-grossing Indian films

References

• Yash Raj Films official film catalogue.
• Press materials and credits accompanying the theatrical releases of Dhoom (2004), Dhoom 2 (2006) and Dhoom 3 (2013).
• Contemporary trade reporting on Hindi cinema box office performance.