Pakistani actor Imran Abbas has weighed in on the growing controversy surrounding Bollywood’s latest blockbuster Dhurandhar, choosing to reflect indirectly upon its narrative in a strongly worded Instagram story, later posted to feed, that has since drawn attention across the region.
The exact words he uploaded on his Instagram stories were: “This is not about India, Pakistan, or any single nation. This is about a dangerous misuse of cinema itself.
“I stand firmly against turning films, regardless of where they come from, into vehicles for hatred, hostility, and division. Art was never meant to poison minds rather it was meant to uplift hearts. Cinema should build bridges, not glorify prejudice.
“It should awaken empathy, not package resentment as entertainment. When hatred is dressed up as art and sold on the big screen, it may earn applause and profit but it also leaves behind scars we choose not to see.
“Stories are powerful. The narratives we celebrate today quietly shape the beliefs of tomorrow. What we normalize on screen slowly settles into our collective conscience.
“Art is not innocent. It carries responsibility. Its true strength lies in healing, in connection, and in bringing humanity closer together, not in planting seeds of resentment under the false banner of creativity.”
His statement comes amid criticism of Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, which has reportedly crossed 1000 Indian crore at the global box office. While the film has performed exceptionally well in India, it has not secured releases in several West Asian markets, including Pakistan, where authorities have banned it in the theatres.
The controversy intensified after the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lodged multiple complaints against the film.
According to the party, Dhurandhar allegedly portrays Pakistan as a supporter of terrorism and uses images of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, the PPP flag, and footage of party rallies without permission. A petition was filed in the Karachi District and Sessions Judge Court (South) by PPP activist Mohammad Amir, seeking registration of an FIR against the film’s director, producers, actors, and others involved in its production and promotion.
At the heart of the dispute is the film’s storyline, which traces India’s covert “Operation Dhurandhar” following the 2001 Parliament attack. The narrative follows Indian intelligence agent Hamza Ali Mazari, later revealed as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, who infiltrates Karachi’s Lyari underworld, embeds himself with gangster Rehman Dakait’s network, and uncovers links between criminal syndicates, counterfeit currency operations, political actors, and Pakistan’s intelligence establishment.
The plot moves through real historical moments, including the Kandahar hijacking negotiations and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, culminating in Hamza’s role in orchestrating Rehman’s elimination while preparing to target a larger terror mastermind.
Dhurandhar is widely seen as anti-Pakistan because its central narrative repeatedly and wrongfully links Pakistan’s state institutions, political actors, and society to terrorism, criminality, and hostility toward India in a largely one-directional manner.
The plot depicts Pakistan’s intelligence agency (ISI) as actively collaborating with gang leaders, facilitating arms trafficking, counterfeit currency operations, and indirectly enabling large-scale terror attacks such as 26/11, while Pakistani political parties and rallies are shown as fronts or enablers for criminal and extremist networks.
Karachi’s Lyari area is portrayed almost exclusively as a hub of gangs, violence, and radicalization, with little contextual balance, and Pakistani characters are largely framed as either terrorists, criminals, or corrupt officials.
In contrast, the Indian intelligence apparatus is presented as the sole moral and strategic force working to dismantle terror, positioning Pakistan as the primary source of instability rather than exploring shared regional complexities.
Critics argue that this framing turns a geopolitical conflict into a simplified moral binary, reinforcing negative stereotypes and presenting Pakistan not as a nuanced society, but as a systemic sponsor of terror. Many criticize this approach crossing from political drama into prejudicial representation.
