The trailer of Bollywood film Dhurandhar has become a major talking point since its release on November 18. Directed by Aditya Dhar, who gained fame with Uri: The Surgical Strike, the film is scheduled to hit cinemas on December 5.
The trailer opens with a reference to former Pakistani military ruler Zia-ul–Haq and quickly moves into a narrative involving intelligence agencies, Karachi’s Lyari gang war, and the life of police officer Chaudhry Aslam. Sanjay Dutt plays the role of Aslam, remembered in Karachi for his tough stance against criminal gangs and his controversial career that ended tragically in a 2014 bomb attack.
Other prominent actors include Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, and Akshay Khanna, who portrays Lyari gangster Abdul Rehman Baloch, also known as Rehman Dakait. The inclusion of these real-life figures has added to the curiosity surrounding the film.
While the trailer has already crossed six million views on YouTube, it has also faced criticism for its violent imagery. Indian commentator Dhruv Rathi described the scenes as excessively brutal, arguing that such depictions risk desensitizing audiences. On social media, some users questioned why Bollywood continues to borrow plots from Pakistan’s history, while Pakistani analyst Ali K. Chishti noted that when Pakistan does not tell its own stories, others reshape them and sell them back.
For Karachi, the film’s focus on Lyari and Chaudhry Aslam revives memories of a turbulent era. Aslam was both admired and criticized, yet his role in confronting gangs made him a central figure in the city’s struggle against organized crime. His portrayal in Dhurandhar has already sparked debate about how Pakistan’s heroes and martyrs are represented outside the country.
As the release date approaches, the film is expected to fuel further discussion not only about Bollywood’s creative choices but also about the importance of Pakistan owning and narrating its own history.