Dhurandhar Won’t Screen in the Gulf : Reports

It seems Bollywood's latest spy saga, Dhurandhar, won't be lighting up the screens here in Bahrain or anywhere else in the GCC. The high-profile action film, starring Ranveer Singh and directed by Aditya Dhar, has been universally denied release across all major Gulf territories, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman.

Industry insiders confirm the move stems from the film’s politically charged content. Dhurandhar is inspired by real events surrounding the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, featuring a plot where an Indian spy (Ranveer Singh) goes deep undercover in Pakistan's Lyari region to infiltrate a terror network. This narrative, perceived by authorities as carrying an "anti-Pakistan" message, is the recurring sticking point that has previously seen several Indian films facing restrictions in the region.

This isn't an isolated case, of course. The Gulf markets have a history of being highly sensitive to films involving cross-border conflict. Blockbusters like Fighter, Tiger 3, and Bell Bottom all encountered bans in various Gulf states for similar reasons. While the makers of Dhurandhar reportedly attempted to secure clearance, the film’s theme of an intelligence mission against a notorious gangster across the border failed to pass the regional censorship guidelines.