Pakistanis Are Obsessing Over Dhurandhar More Than Any Other Bollywood Movie, And Here's The Proof

Dhurandhar has turned out to be a box office juggernaut. The spy thriller is steadily marching towards the ₹500 crore club in India and is expected to make many more box office records before its theatrical run concludes. The movie has been banned in the Gulf countries due to its alleged "anti-Pakistan" stance, but it continues to create waves internationally for its raw and real depiction of terrorism targeted at India. The film, based on "true events", depicts how an Indian undercover spy infiltrates and dismantles a terror network in Pakistan. The Aditya Dhar directorial depicts real-life Pakistanis, like gangster Rehman Dakait, played by Akshaye Khanna, Ilyas Kashmiri, played by Arjun Rampal as Major Iqbal and Chaudhry Aslam Khan, essayed by Sanjay Dutt.

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When the movie released, a section of Pakistani YouTubers and social media influencers debated how the story of Lyari gang war, which is Pakistan's own, has been depicted by an Indian director even as the local filmmakers continue to invest heavily in rom-coms and Pakistani dramas. Other Pakistani influencers and media personalities called Dhurandhar out for is skewed depiction, fueled by Indian movie makers' anti-Pakistan sentiment.

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However, despite all the opposition to Dhurandhar in Pakistan and its ban in the country, it has emerged as the most-pirated Bollywood movie there in the last 20 years. Reportedly, the Ranveer Singh starrer registered 1.8 million illegal downloads in just two weeks, surpassing piracy figures of past hits like Shah Rukh Khan's Raees and Rajinikanth starrer 2.0. Pakistani viewers are reportedly accessing the movie through torrents, VPNs and unauthorised links.

Pakistani social media influencers are also making reels about "real Lyari" and other elements in Dhurandhar, adding to its hype in the country and overseas. Meanwhile, Dhurandhar part 2 is also releasing and will hit the big screens on March 19 next year.