Pakistan Criticizes Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar’ Film as Propaganda

Spy Thriller “Dhurandhar” Sparks Cross-Border Controversy Over Portrayal of Pakistan

Aditya Dhar’s recently released spy thriller “Dhurandhar” has ignited heated debate between India and Pakistan, with Pakistani critics claiming the film contains numerous factual inaccuracies in its portrayal of Karachi and historical events.

Released on December 5, the high-octane film stars Ranveer Singh in the lead role and follows covert intelligence operations connected to major incidents including the Kandahar plane hijack, the 2001 Parliament attack, and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Much of the action takes place in Lyari town in Karachi, an area historically known for gang violence and territorial conflicts.

The film has received polarized reactions in India, but now critics and cultural commentators across the border are weighing in on what they perceive as problematic representations.

Omair Alavi, a prominent Pakistani film critic and writer, acknowledged the film’s technical merits while questioning its accuracy. “Dhurandhar is a well-made film, slick and the acting is also good but it has many factual inaccuracies about Karachi and the period of 2007-2008 shown in the film,” Alavi stated.

He explained why similar productions rarely emerge from Pakistan’s film industry, noting they represent significant financial risks. “Our filmmakers are just not willing to make such propaganda films because when in the past such films were made on patriotic tones, they flopped at the box office,” he said.

According to Alavi, Pakistan’s cinema industry faces structural challenges, with declining theater numbers and high ticket prices pushing audiences toward quality television dramas instead. He questioned whether these factual discrepancies matter to the average Indian viewer, for whom the film primarily functions as “a slick action movie with big stars” that portrays Pakistanis negatively.

Some Pakistani commentators have suggested “Dhurandhar” may have drawn inspiration from local sources. Drama actor Qamar Reza claimed the film appears influenced by a 2022 Pakistani production based on real-life police officer Chaudhary Aslam, who died in a car bombing in 2014.

The film features a notable ensemble cast, with Sanjay Dutt portraying Chaudhary Aslam and Akshaye Khanna playing Rahman Dakait, a character based on a real gangster. Arjun Rampal appears as Major Iqbal of ISI, reportedly modeled after terrorist Ilyas Kashmiri, while R. Madhavan plays Indian spymaster Ajay Sanyal.

Younger Pakistani viewers have expressed mixed reactions to the film. Content creator Bilal Hassan, known online as @mystapaki, admitted the film’s technical merits while voicing concerns about its political messaging. “It is very, very well-made. Action sequences fantastic, Akshaye Khanna’s acting was… I wanted to be upset at it, but I couldn’t be upset at it,” he said, before criticizing what he perceived as anti-Pakistan dialogue.

Hassan, who grew up near the real-life Lyari conflicts, offered insight into why such stories rarely emerge from Pakistani filmmakers. “Chaudhry Aslam’s house was in front of my school. When there was a bomb blast on top of his house, my school’s windows broke. That’s how close to home this story was for me,” he recalled. “We won’t tell this story. Why? Because our politicians will get dirty. Our government will get dirty.”

The film has also faced criticism for cultural inaccuracies, particularly regarding costuming. Several Pakistani viewers pointed out that Ranveer Singh’s character wears half-sleeve shalwar kameez outfits that would be highly unusual in Pakistan.

The controversy surrounding “Dhurandhar” highlights the ongoing sensitivities in India-Pakistan relations and how entertainment media can become entangled in larger geopolitical narratives. While the film continues to perform well at the Indian box office, it simultaneously reinforces how cinematic representations can become flashpoints for cross-border cultural debates.

For now, the film remains unavailable to Pakistani audiences through official channels, ensuring that the debate continues primarily through social media and critical commentary rather than direct viewing.