Bollywood Spy Thriller “Dhurandhar” Ignites Controversy Across India and Pakistan
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The newly released Bollywood spy thriller, Dhurandhar, is simultaneously captivating audiences and sparking intense debate in India and Pakistan, fueled by its depiction of the fraught relationship between the two South Asian neighbors. Released in cinemas last week, the 3.5-hour film plunges viewers into a violent world of espionage and political intrigue set against the backdrop of decades-long tensions, especially concerning the disputed region of Kashmir.
The film arrives amidst a period of heightened animosity, following a rebel attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered kashmir, in May, wich India attributed to Pakistan – a claim Islamabad denies. Since the partition of India in 1947, the two nuclear-armed nations have engaged in four wars, with three centered on the contested territory of Kashmir.Dhurandhar taps into this history, following Ranveer Singh, who portrays an Indian spy infiltrating networks in Karachi, Pakistan. However, critics allege the storyline relies heavily on nationalist tropes and ancient misrepresentation, a growing trend within Bollywood.
A Covert Operation brought to the Screen
Directed by aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar dramatizes a classified chapter from the history of Indian intelligence.The narrative centers on a high-stakes, cross-border mission undertaken by India’s Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), focusing on a single operative’s efforts to neutralize threats to India’s national security on foreign soil.
The film boasts an all-star cast, with Singh leading as the persistent field agent tasked with dismantling a “terror” network from within. He faces off against Sanjay Dutt, representing the Pakistani establishment, and Akshaye Khanna, portraying a powerful gangster. Supporting actors, including R Madhavan, embody key intelligence officers orchestrating complex geopolitical strategies from New Delhi. The screenplay unfolds as a classic cat-and-mouse chase.
Pakistani Criticism Focuses on Misrepresentation and Stereotypes
Despite the enduring popularity of Indian films in Pakistan, Dhurandhar has drawn sharp criticism for its portrayal of the country. The depiction of Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, and specifically the lyari neighborhood, has been a major point of contention.
“The representation in the film is completely based on fantasy. It doesn’t look like Karachi. it does not represent the city accurately at all,” explained nida Kirmani, an associate professor of sociology at Lahore University of Management Sciences, to Al Jazeera. Kirmani, who has documented gang violence in Lyari, noted that while the city has experienced periods of intense conflict, “reducing the city to violence is one of the major problems in the film, along with the fact the film gets everything about Karachi – from its infrastructure, culture, and language – wrong.”
Further fueling the controversy, a member of Pakistan’s Punjab provincial assembly, Rana Sanaullah khan, called for a ban on the film, stating it “promotes hatred” and “presents a distorted image of Pakistan.”
India’s Nationalist Film Trend and Critical Backlash
Dhurandhar is not an isolated case. It follows a pattern of Bollywood films embracing nationalistic themes, often at the expense of nuanced storytelling. The Kashmir Files (2022),for example,depicted the exodus of Kashmiri pandits in the 1990s,but was accused of stoking anti-Muslim sentiment.Kerala Story, released in 2023, faced accusations of falsification, but also received praise from Modi, with critics arguing it sought to vilify muslims and demonize the state of Kerala.
The controversy surrounding Dhurandhar extends to the treatment of film critics. A review by Anupama Chopra of the Hollywood Reporter india was removed from YouTube following backlash from the film’s supporters. India’s Film critics Guild has condemned the “coordinated abuse, personal attacks on individual critics, and organised attempts to discredit their professional integrity,” and noted attempts to “tamper with existing reviews, influence editorial positions, and persuade publications to alter or dilute their stance.”
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The case of Dhurandhar highlights a growing tension within Bollywood: the pursuit of commercially successful, nationalistic narratives and the potential for those narratives to perpetuate stereotypes, distort history, and stifle critical discourse.
