MUMBAI: A viral social media post has sparked fresh speculation that Pakistan has lifted its ban on the Indian film Dhurandhar and approved its theatrical release across 7,000 cinema screens nationwide. According to unverified reports circulating online, the Pakistani authorities have cleared the film with a U certificate, imposing a steep 60 per cent tax on ticket sales. The move is reportedly linked to efforts to generate revenue for repaying a $3.5 billion debt obligation to the United Arab Emirates due this month.
The film, which portrays an Indian anti-terror operation partly set in Karachi’s Lyari district involving cross-border espionage and militant plots, was originally banned by Pakistani officials who viewed its narrative as politically sensitive and “anti-Pakistan”.
Despite the ban, Dhurandhar gained significant popularity in Pakistan through piracy. It reportedly recorded over 2 million illegal downloads within the first two weeks of release, trended on Netflix despite lacking official clearance, and saw pirated DVDs openly sold in markets like Karachi’s Rainbow Centre for as little as PKR 50 (around Rs 16).
The latest development gained traction after Indian author and commentator Anand Ranganathan posted a satirical message claiming that Pakistan had cleared the film to help meet its UAE loan deadline. The post, which included a tongue-in-cheek quote attributed to Culture Minister Nabeel Gabol, quickly went viral, with many mistaking the sarcasm for actual news.
As of now, the reports remain unverified, and neither the Pakistani government nor official channels have issued a formal confirmation. No comment has been received from the film’s producers or distributors either.
In the complex intersection of cinema, politics, and economics, Dhurandhar continues to generate headlines, this time, not just on screen, but off it as well. Whether the ban has truly been lifted or remains in place is still unclear, but the buzz around the film shows no signs of slowing down.
