Aditya Dhar’s films, Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar: The Revenge, explore the narrative of an Indian spy who embeds himself within a Baloch gang in Lyari to disrupt a terrorist organization. Featuring actors Ranveer Singh and Sara Arjun, the movies portray a neighborhood plagued by gang violence. In a recent interaction, an Indian Instagram influencer engaged with a Pakistani individual in Bali to discuss the film’s representation of Lyari.
Influencer Rohan Bhatia, known as @thebesharamfoodie, recorded his conversation with a Pakistani man and woman about their opinions on Dhurandhar. The video, captioned “I asked a Pakistani about Dhurandhar in Bali!”, shows their candid remarks regarding the film’s authenticity. The Pakistani man humorously critiques the film, describing it as “overrated” while highlighting that, in Karachi, control of Lyari is often overstated.
He notes a particularly amusing line from the film: “Whoever controls Lyari, controls Karachi. And whoever controls Karachi controls Pakistan.” The man explains that Karachi has a diverse population and jokes about its identity, stating, “Karachi is a non-native city. It’s a city for orphans.” He acknowledges the existence of gang violence in the area but insists that it primarily involves local neighborhoods rather than external forces.
Another point of discussion centers on the portrayal of Sara Arjun’s character, Yalina Jamali. The man expresses bemusement at her wearing a miniskirt, saying, “There’s no way a woman can roam alone on the streets of Lyari in a miniskirt.” His companion echoes this sentiment, underlining the cultural inaccuracies of such a depiction. They also critique a party scene from the film, pointing out the lack of authenticity in the signage, which is written in English rather than Urdu.
Although they appreciated Dhurandhar’s cinematography and enjoyed the song “FA9LA,” the Pakistani man noted that the song does not represent Balochi culture accurately. He claims familiarity with the subject, stating, “I’m a Sindhi Balochi, so I know what I’m talking about.” He comments on the clothing worn by Ranveer’s character, Jaskirat Singh Rangi, suggesting that such attire doesn’t resonate with the local style.
The conversation further delved into the plot twist where Hamza elopes with Yalina, the daughter of a senior Pakistani politician. They questioned the feasibility of such an event in real life, expressing skepticism about its portrayal in the film. “In Pakistan, that can never happen. A daughter who lives in a house like that is suddenly going over there, that never happens,” they remarked, indicating that this aspect was likely exaggerated for dramatic effect.
The critique of Dhurandhar raises questions that many viewers likely pondered after seeing the film. However, Dhurandhar: The Revenge is said to provide a context that could clarify the events depicted. Released globally in December, the first film has yet to screen in Pakistan and the Gulf states. The sequel launched in theaters on March 19, continuing to navigate cultural nuances within its storyline without a release in these regions.