Dhurandhar (2025) arrives as an ambitious, high-octane spy thriller packed with drama, action, and patriotic flair. But, as often seen in Bollywood, the film once again portrays Pakistan through a negative lens, depicting Pakistanis as terrorists and showing Karachi — one of the country’s largest metropolitan cities — in a distorted manner. The film’s portrayal of Lyari, for instance, reduces the vibrant neighbourhood to a hub of gang wars and militancy, reinforcing outdated stereotypes.

Many Pakistanis immediately recognized Dhurandhar as a propaganda piece. Others expressed disappointment with Pakistan’s own entertainment industry for failing to tell stories from our perspective, allowing others to define us instead. As expected, audiences had mixed and heated reactions.

Content creator Bilal Hassan reviewed the movie on his Instagram story, calling it “very, very well-made,” praising its action sequences and overall execution. He noted that the film depicts Pakistani politicians as corrupt — “which they are,” he added — and draws parallels to figures inspired by Rehman Dakait, portrayed in ways he found believable. None of this, he emphasized, offended him.

His sentiments were shared by several online voices. Writer Muneeb Qadir described the film on X (formerly Twitter) as “very gripping, excellent music — and propaganda with a capital ‘P’.”

Journalist Javeria Siddique, meanwhile, offered a more nuanced take. Whether or not the film qualifies as propaganda, she said, its depiction of Balochi culture and traditional Balochi dance was undeniably beautiful — something Pakistani television rarely showcases beyond stereotypes.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), however, has strongly condemned the film. Sumeta Afzal Syed, spokesperson for the PPP and a member of the Sindh Task Force, issued a firm statement denouncing the movie’s portrayal of the party. She said, “The newly released Indian film Dhurandhar has unlawfully used images of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and disgracefully attempted to portray the PPP as sympathetic to terrorists.”

She emphasized that the party has never wavered in its stance against extremism: “The PPP has been a frontline victim of terrorism and has always stood — and will always stand — as the strongest force against extremism.”. Sumeta further urged authorities to respond: “We strongly condemn this malicious distortion and urge the government to take immediate notice of India’s attempt to malign Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and an internationally respected democratic leader.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)