India and Pakistan share the same culture, people, traditions, and values — yet they are still considered rivals. This rivalry isn’t limited to real life; it is also reflected in the film industries.

For decades, Bollywood has often portrayed Pakistan in a negative light. This is not a recent trend. The 1997 film Border, based on the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, depicted Pakistani forces as the aggressors. Later, LOC: Kargil (2003) focused on the 1999 Kargil conflict, portraying Pakistan’s military leadership as deceptive and hostile. Then came Phantom (2015), which presented Pakistan as a safe place for terrorists. These are just a few examples among many.

Now, Bollywood’s upcoming film Dhurandhar is facing heavy criticism after its trailer released. In the trailer, Karachi’s Lyari area is shown as a full-fledged war zone and is portrayed as the “centre of terrorism,” with the narrative suggesting that India must enter the area at any cost to stop terrorism.

Ranveer Singh plays a RAW agent entering what the film calls “dangerous” Pakistani territory. Arjun Rampal plays Major Iqbal, a Pakistani intelligence officer called the “Angel of Death,” who is shown as wanting to harm India. R. Madhavan acts as Ajay Sanyal, a character based on India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The movie also shows scenes related to Pakistani politics—such as PPP rallies, images of Benazir Bhutto, and party flags—which has led to more criticism.

Many people have also mocked the casting choices. For example, Sanjay Dutt playing Pakistani police officer Chaudhry Aslam became a major point of humour online, as viewers found the choice completely unrealistic.

Critics argue that the film does not reflect reality at all. Instead, it exaggerates events and presents an overly dramatic, distorted version of Pakistan. Rather than portraying the complexities of the region, the movie seems to rely on sensationalism and stereotypes, which further damages the already fragile perception between the two countries.

In reality, the Lyari gang wars were conflicts between local gangs in Karachi, caused by complicated ethnic and political issues. Critics argue that Bollywood is reshaping these real events to fit an Indian nationalist viewpoint, ignoring what the people of Karachi actually went through.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)