You can ban a film from theatres but you can’t always keep it out of people’s hands. Months after facing restrictions in Pakistan and parts of the Gulf during its theatrical run, Dhurandhar starring Ranveer Singh has found an unexpected route back into Pakistan, this time through pirated DVD markets. And the price? It has left many stunned.
The espionage thriller, directed by Aditya Dhar, recently became available in Pakistan through its digital release on Netflix. However, physical pirated copies are now being openly sold in local markets as well.
New Zealand-based YouTuber Karl Rock shared visuals from his visit to Rainbow Centre in Karachi, where he spotted DVDs of the film displayed at retail shops. In his video, he approaches a vendor with a poster of Ranveer Singh on display and points out that despite Indian films being banned in Pakistan, this is a new release from India that is still available. The shopkeeper confirms that the DVD is indeed a recent film.
Karl Rock also mentions that Ranveer Singh has Sindhi roots and that his grandparents were from Karachi before migrating to India during Partition. When he asks about the price, the vendor says the DVD costs PKR 50, roughly ₹16. Karl Rock reacts by saying it’s extremely cheap.
Here is the video:
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The clip quickly grabbed attention online, especially because Indian films have largely disappeared from Pakistani cinemas in recent years due to diplomatic tensions. Social media users shared mixed reactions. Some questioned why there is so much hostility between the two countries, while others called the ongoing tension unnecessary and hoped for better relations in the future. One user even joked that the film seemed to be more of a hit in Pakistan than in India.
Despite the restrictions, Dhurandhar has performed strongly on streaming platform. Earlier this month, it topped Netflix’s global Top 10 non-English films list after its January digital release. It also ranked number one in both India and Pakistan.
Originally released in theatres on December 5 last year, the film was a commercial success. Alongside Ranveer Singh, the cast includes Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Rakesh Bedi. Set in Karachi’s Lyari area, the story follows covert intelligence missions against the backdrop of major events like the Kandahar plane hijacking, the 2001 Parliament att@ck and the 26/11 Mumbai att@cks.
The franchise is now moving forward with a sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, scheduled to hit theatres on March 19. The film will face box office competition from Toxic, starring Yash.
It seems Pakistanis are loving Dhurandhar.
