Another week, another Bollywood blockbuster stirring the pot – and not just at the box office. Aditya Dhar’s 3.5-hour spy thriller, Dhurandhar, is racking up impressive numbers in India and among the diaspora, but it’s the film’s predictably fraught portrayal of India-Pakistan relations that’s truly capturing attention. It’s not just a movie; it’s a carefully calibrated provocation, arriving hot on the heels of renewed tensions following the Pahalgam attack and tapping into a very specific, and increasingly lucrative, nationalist vein in Indian cinema.
- Dhurandhar’s success highlights a growing trend in Bollywood towards narratives that reinforce nationalist sentiments.
- The film’s depiction of Pakistan, particularly Karachi, is drawing criticism for its inaccuracies and reliance on stereotypes.
- The controversy surrounding the film extends to accusations of historical revisionism and the exploitation of real-life figures without consent.
The Usual Suspects: Nationalism and Bollywood
Let’s be clear: India and Pakistan have a complicated history, to put it mildly. Four wars, three over Kashmir, and decades of mistrust provide fertile ground for this kind of cinematic storytelling. But Dhurandhar isn’t simply *reflecting* this tension; it’s actively leaning into it. Ranveer Singh as the gritty Indian spy infiltrating Karachi is a familiar archetype, and Sanjay Dutt as the Pakistani antagonist feels…well, predictable. The film’s structure, a classic cat-and-mouse game, is less interesting than *why* this narrative is being so aggressively pushed now.
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. The success of films like Article 370 and The Kerala Story – both lauded by Prime Minister Modi – demonstrates a clear appetite for narratives that align with the current Hindu nationalist government’s policies. The fact that these films are not just commercially viable but receive direct praise from the highest office is a signal to the industry: patriotism sells. And it’s a signal that dissenting voices, like film critic Anupama Chopra whose review was quietly removed after backlash, are increasingly vulnerable.
Karachi as a Cinematic Dust Bowl
The criticism from Pakistan, particularly from sociologist Nida Kirmani, is pointed. The film doesn’t just misrepresent Karachi; it actively *degrades* it, reducing a complex megacity to “violence” and a “bombed-out” landscape. This isn’t just lazy filmmaking; it’s a perpetuation of harmful stereotypes. As Mumbai-based film critic Mayank Shekhar notes, it echoes a similar aesthetic employed by Hollywood when depicting the “brown Third World” – a sepia-toned, perpetually chaotic backdrop for Western heroism. The legal action taken by a member of the Pakistan People’s Party over the use of Benazir Bhutto’s image further underscores the sensitivity surrounding the film’s portrayal of Pakistani figures and events.
The family of Major Mohit Sharma’s petition to halt the film’s release, alleging exploitation of his life story, adds another layer of complexity. The filmmakers deny this, claiming it’s a work of fiction, but the inclusion of real-time intercepted audio and news footage blurs the lines, raising questions about the film’s ethical boundaries.
Dhurandhar is a calculated risk, and so far, it’s paying off. But the backlash, both within India and Pakistan, suggests that audiences are becoming increasingly savvy to these kinds of nationalist narratives. The question now is whether Bollywood will continue down this path, prioritizing political alignment over nuanced storytelling, or if a counter-narrative will emerge. Expect more of this, though. With Ranveer Singh’s star power firmly behind it, and the current political climate in India, Dhurandhar is likely just the opening salvo in a new wave of hyper-nationalistic Bollywood blockbusters.
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