’Dhurandhar’ banned in 6 countries, the reason behind it

Ranveer Singh in a scene from the movie Dhurandhar

The spy thriller 'Dhurandhar' starring Ranveer Singh directed by Aditya Dhar has been taking the box office by storm since its release. Even though the film has crossed Rs 300 crore worldwide, it could not avoid controversy. The makers have suffered a major setback in the international market as the film's screening has been banned in six Middle Eastern countries.

'Dhurandhar' was not allowed to be released in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East. Allegedly, the authorities concerned did not give permission because the film contained anti-Pakistan messages. Although no official explanation was given by these countries regarding the ban.

A source from the production company said that there was a strong effort to release the film as there are a large number of Indian expatriates in the Gulf region. Despite seeking approval in various ways in this important market for Bollywood, no country ultimately gave in.

This is not a new incident. Earlier, films based on border and security issues like ‘Fighter’, ‘Sky Force’, ‘The Diplomat’, ‘Article 370’, ‘Tiger 3’ and ‘The Kashmir Files’ had faced obstacles in the Middle East. While the ban was later eased in some cases, it was not the case with ‘Dhurandhar’.

Returning to directing after six years of ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’, Aditya Dhar has shown the story of an Indian spy’s adventurous journey inside Pakistan in ‘Dhurandhar’. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and many others.

Despite the ban in the Gulf markets, the film continues to dominate the Indian box office. ‘Dhurandhar’ has earned more than 200 crore rupees net in the country within a week of its release. Apart from the Gulf countries, it has also received significant income from foreign markets.

The ban has once again raised the question of why Indian films, which are dependent on borders and geopolitics, are repeatedly subject to restrictions in the Middle East. Despite the controversy, 'Dhurandhar' has solidified its position as one of the biggest box office hits of the year.

India Today