Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar is not just setting the cash registers ringing in India; it is also making headlines for reasons far beyond the box office.
The hard-hitting political thriller, backed by a powerful ensemble including Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal, has reportedly triggered outrage in Pakistan, so much so that the matter has now reached a local court in Karachi.
While audiences at home are applauding the film’s gripping narrative and fearless tone, reactions across the border have been anything but warm. A legal application has been filed in a Karachi district court seeking the registration of a case against the makers of Dhurandhar, including its director, producers and key team members.
Why is Pakistan upset with ‘Dhurandhar’?
The petitioner, Mohammad Aamir, who claims to be a worker of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has alleged that the film’s trailer portrays the PPP as a party sympathetic to terrorism. According to the plea, certain visual references and dialogues create a misleading and damaging image of the party, which the applicant has termed “provocative and false”.
What scenes triggered the controversy?
One of the major objections raised is the depiction of Karachi’s Lyari area as a “terrorist war zone”. The petitioner argues that this portrayal maligns the city and its residents, presenting an exaggerated and dangerous narrative that could fuel negative perceptions globally.
Were political symbols used without permission?
The application further claims that Dhurandhar uses images of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the PPP flag and political rally visuals without obtaining any legal consent. This, according to the petitioner, amounts to unauthorised use of political symbols and personalities.
Why is ‘Dhurandhar’ banned in Gulf countries?
Despite its strong run in India and other markets, Dhurandhar has reportedly not been cleared for release in several Gulf nations, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. While no official reason has been detailed, films dealing with sensitive geopolitical themes, especially those involving Pakistan, have often faced restrictions in the region.
For now, Dhurandhar continues to dominate conversations, proving once again that cinema can entertain, provoke, and unsettle, all at the same time