Dhurandhar’s box office roar meets a reply from Sindh
Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar continues to dominate conversations — and ticket windows — as it races towards the Rs 300 crore mark. The Aditya Dhar‑directed film, inspired by real incidents tied to criminal networks in Karachi’s Lyari, has won praise for its scale, performances and storytelling. But its depiction of events across the border has prompted an official response from Pakistan’s Sindh government.
Sindh announces Mera Lyari to “counter negative propaganda”
On December 13, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon shared posters for a new film titled Mera Lyari on X, saying it will show “the true face of Lyari: peace, prosperity, and pride.”
Memon accused Dhurandhar of portraying Lyari unfairly, calling the Bollywood film “negative propaganda” and stressing that “Lyari is not violence—it is culture, peace, talent, and resilience.” The Sindh government says the forthcoming film will offer a counter‑narrative to what officials see as a one‑sided depiction.
What sparked the reaction?
Dhurandhar takes a fictionalised approach to sensitive real‑world issues, dramatizing cross‑border terror operations and crime syndicates reportedly linked to Lyari. While Indian audiences and many critics have lauded the film, its subject matter touches on geopolitics and local reputations — a combination that often breeds debate.
How both films fit into the conversation
- Dhurandhar: A large‑scale Bollywood thriller led by Ranveer Singh, framed as India’s fight against terror with roots in true events.
- Mera Lyari: Announced by Sindh officials as a local response aiming to highlight Lyari’s culture and resilience rather than violence.
Cast and continuing buzz
Dhurandhar features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi and others. As the film heads toward another major box‑office milestone, the cross‑border cultural conversation shows no signs of cooling.
Whether Mera Lyari will reach cinemas next month as announced, and how audiences on both sides will react, remains to be seen. For now, Dhurandhar’s commercial success and the Sindh government’s cinematic rebuttal have added an unexpected chapter to the film’s story.
