Ranveer Singh’s spy thriller Dhurandhar has been banned in six Gulf countries due to its anti-Pakistan messaging. Despite the ban, the film continues to perform strongly at the Indian box office.
Ranveer Singh’s new spy thriller Dhurandhar may be drawing crowds in India, but its international journey, especially in the Middle East, has hit a wall. The film has been blocked across six Gulf countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — after authorities reportedly objected to its anti-Pakistan messaging.
The sweeping ban has revived a familiar debate over how Indian films dealing with cross-border themes face heightened scrutiny in the Middle East.
According to reports, the makers attempted to secure a theatrical release across the Gulf, a crucial market for Bollywood, but clearance was denied everywhere.
“There were apprehensions that this would happen as the film is perceived as an ‘anti-Pakistan film’. The team still made an attempt, but none of the countries approved the film’s theme. That’s why Dhurandhar hasn’t been released in any Gulf territory,” a source told Bollywood Hungama.
This is not an isolated incident. Earlier, films such as Fighter, Sky Force, The Diplomat, Article 370, Tiger 3 and The Kashmir Files have faced similar restrictions across parts of the Middle East. Even Fighter, initially released in the UAE, was pulled within a day, and a revised cut was rejected.
Despite the Gulf setback, Dhurandhar continues to perform strongly at home. The film has crossed the Rs 200 crore net mark in India within a week and earned Rs 44.5 crore overseas, excluding the Gulf market.
After six years away from direction, director Aditya Dhar returned with Dhurandhar, his first film since the 2019 hit Uri: The Surgical Strike. The project stirred rumours that it was based on Major Mohit Sharma, but Dhar pushed back, saying the story comes from real geopolitics and covert R&AW missions.
