Ranveer Singh’s 'Dhurandhar' banned in 6 Gulf nations over ‘anti-Pakistan’ messaging
Despite the setback in the Gulf, Dhurandhar continues to perform robustly at the Indian box office and crossed the Rs 200-crore net mark domestically within a week
Ranveer Singh’s new spy thriller Dhurandhar may be pulling in large crowds across India, but it has been banned in six Gulf countries owing to its "anti-Pakistan" messaging.
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Authorities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have reportedly blocked the film after raising objections to its political stance.
Heightened scrutiny stalls release
The sweeping ban has reignited a familiar debate over the heightened scrutiny faced by Indian films dealing with cross-border themes in the Middle East. According to reports, the filmmakers did attempt to secure a theatrical release across the Gulf, a crucial market for Bollywood, but clearance was denied in every country.
“There were apprehensions that this would happen, as the film is viewed as ‘anti-Pakistan’. The team still made an effort, but none of the countries approved the film’s theme. That is why Dhurandhar has not been released in any Gulf territory,” a source told Bollywood Hungama.
Repeated restrictions for Bollywood films
This is not an isolated case. In recent years, films such as Fighter, Sky Force, The Diplomat, Article 370, Tiger 3, and The Kashmir Files have faced similar restrictions in parts of the Middle East.
Even Fighter, which initially opened in the UAE, was pulled within a day, and a revised cut was later rejected.
Despite the setback in the Gulf, Dhurandhar continues to perform robustly at the Indian box office.
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The film has crossed the Rs 200-crore net mark domestically within a week and earned Rs 44.5 crore overseas, excluding the Gulf markets.
Movie based on Operation Lyari
After a six-year break from directing, Aditya Dhar has returned with Dhurandhar, his first film since the 2019 hit Uri: The Surgical Strike.
The project had stirred speculation that it was based on Major Mohit Sharma, but Dhar dismissed this, saying the story is rooted in real geopolitics and covert R&AW operations.
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The film draws inspiration from events surrounding Operation Lyari in Pakistan and the alleged involvement of Indian intelligence.
Alongside Ranveer Singh, it stars Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan and Arjun Rampal.