Bollywood Hit ‘Dhurandhar’ Sparks Cross-Border Reaction

A new Bollywood spy thriller is drawing global attention, not only for its box office success, but for the controversy it has sparked across South Asia.

Dhurandhar, a nationalist action film starring Ranveer Singh as an Indian intelligence agent operating undercover in Pakistan, has emerged as one of India’s biggest commercial hits of the year.

The film blends fictional storytelling with references to real historical events tied to India-Pakistan tensions, a creative choice that has resonated strongly with domestic audiences.

Analysts say the movie reflects a broader trend in Indian cinema toward patriotic narratives that perform well at the box office, even as theater attendance overall continues to decline.

Outside India, the reaction has been sharply different. In Pakistan, officials and residents of Karachi’s Lyari neighborhood, which is depicted in the film, have criticized the portrayal as inaccurate. Legal challenges have also been filed over the film’s use of political imagery and real historical figures.

Although Pakistan banned Indian films in 2019, Bollywood remains widely watched there, with audiences often turning to VPNs or unofficial online platforms to access new releases.