Why Is Bollywood Film Dhurandhar Controversial?

Spy thriller Dhurandhar (“Expert”), one of the best-performing Bollywood films of 2025, has polarized opinion in India and abroad since its release on December 5. Dhurandhar, the first of a two-part series by director Aditya Dhar, depicts an anti-terror covert operation conducted by India on Pakistani soil. The film faced legal attempts to stop its release, and since reaching theaters it has become increasingly controversial, igniting a fierce debate over its hypernationalist stance.

Dhurandhar is set against the backdrop of real events such as the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight 814, the 2001 terror attack on the Indian Parliament, and the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. The film, which centers on an Indian operative (played by Ranveer Singh) who is sent to Pakistan under deep cover, is allegedly based on real covert operations conducted by India’s intelligence agencies, the Research and Analysis Wing and the Intelligence Bureau. Dhurandhar has received both praise and criticism for casting Pakistan in an intensely negative light while portraying Indian spy and military efforts as heroic. Many have welcomed the film’s fervently patriotic treatment of events, whereas others have described it as propaganda. Critics of Dhurandhar, especially reviewers, have been savagely attacked on social media.

In November 2025 the parents of Major Mohit Sharma (1978–2009), who they believe inspired Singh’s character, approached the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the release of Dhurandhar, arguing that their son’s story could not be portrayed without their consent. In 2004 Sharma had allegedly been tasked with a mission similar to the one depicted in the film; he was killed in a separate operation in 2009. His family’s petition against the film was unsuccessful, and Dhurandhar was released as scheduled in India. However, the film was banned in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and other Middle Eastern countries because of its politically sensitive content.