As Dhurandhar: The Revenge released in theatres in India, social media was flooded with memes highlighting how audiences in Pakistan are still finding ways to watch the film.
One viral meme read, “Dhurandhar-2 has released in theatre. #dhurandhar #Dhurandhar2. Meanwhile, Pakistani: VPN on karo, VPN on karo”
Dhurandhar-2 has released in theatre.#dhurandhar #Dhurandhar2
Meanwhile Pakistani: pic.twitter.com/gJc1CZhQnG
— Dinesh (@FactswithDinesh) March 19, 2026Banned, Yet Trending In Pakistan
Interestingly, the ban has not stopped the film’s reach. After its OTT release, Dhurandhar climbed to the top spot on Netflix Pakistan.
Sources confirmed to NDTV that the Ranveer Singh-led film is currently trending at number one on the platform in the country, even though it did not receive a theatrical release there.
The film premiered on Netflix on January 30, nearly eight weeks after its theatrical debut, and has continued to draw strong viewership.
Piracy Boom Despite Ban
The curiosity around Dhurandhar has also led to a surge in piracy. Reports suggest that at least 2 million illegal downloads of the film were recorded in Pakistan within just two weeks.
YouTuber Karl Rock recently documented how pirated copies of the film were being openly sold in Karachi’s Rainbow Centre for as little as PKR 50 (approximately Rs 16).
“Indian films are banned in Pakistan, but look what I found,” Rock said in his video.
“This is a new film from India?”
“This is an Indian film, Dhurandhar. It has been released recently,” the shopkeeper replied.
“Ye film kitne rupay ki hai? (How much for the movie?)” Rock asked, to which the seller responded, “Sir, it is for Rs 50 PKR (Rs 16 INR).”
Background
The film, which deals with sensitive subjects including the 1999 Kandahar hijacking, the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, and the Lyari gang wars, has reportedly not gone down well with the Pakistan establishment.
Attempts have been made to block the film’s circulation, but piracy through torrents, Telegram channels, VPNs, and even dark web-linked servers has made it widely accessible.
The film has also sparked political reactions in Pakistan. Sindh’s Senior Provincial Minister for Information, Sharjeel Inam Memon, criticised the portrayal of Lyari.
“Indian movie Dhurandhar is yet another example of negative propaganda by the Indian film industry against Pakistan, especially targeting Lyari. Lyari is not violence – it is culture, peace, talent, and resilience. Next month, Mera Lyari will release, showing the true face of Lyari: peace, prosperity, and pride. #MeraLyari,” he said on X.
There have also been legal challenges, including a petition filed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in a Karachi court over the depiction of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in the film.
Meanwhile, Dhurandhar has already created history at the box office. According to trade portal Sacnilk, the film crossed Rs 1,000 crore in India, becoming the first Indian film to achieve the milestone in a single language.
It joins an elite list that includes Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (Rs 1,417 crore), KGF: Chapter 2 (Rs 1,001 crore), and Pushpa 2: The Rule (Rs 1,471.1 crore).
However, the absence of a release in Middle Eastern markets reportedly cost the film an estimated $10 million in potential revenue.
Overseas distributor Pranab Kapadia told CNN-News18, “I think this is at least a ten-million-dollar box office loss, because traditionally action films have always performed very well in the Middle East. Therefore, we feel it should have received a release there.”
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film stars Ranveer Singh alongside R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Rampal.