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Ranveer Singh’s new film Dhurandhar has reportedly been banned in several Gulf countries over its anti-Pakistan messaging. Indian media is reporting that the film has been blocked in six countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — despite its makers’ attempts to secure a theatrical release across the Middle East.

“There were apprehensions that this would happen as the film is perceived as an ‘anti-Pakistan film’. The team still made an attempt, but none of the countries approved the film’s theme. That’s why Dhurandhar hasn’t been released in any Gulf territory,” a source told Bollywood Hungama. Several publications have cited the Bollywood Hungama report in their coverage.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, who has helmed films like Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) and Article 370 (2024), Dhurnadhar, which released on December 5, is about an Indian spy, played by Singh, deployed in Karachi’s Lyari. The star-studded cast includes Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, and Akshay Khanna.

While both Pakistani and Indian audiences highlighted how intensely propaganda-driven the movie is, some Pakistani viewers expressed disappointment in our own entertainment industry for refusing to claim the stories that belong to us. Many Pakistani audiences were also critical of fellow Pakistanis for readily embracing Indian content despite frequent bans, boycotts and the erasure of Pakistani artists across the border.

While the news has not been officially confirmed, it follows several other Indian films to have been blocked from a Gulf release. As per The Times of India, Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone’s Fighter (2024) initially cleared only in the UAE but was later suspended. The makers submitted a revised version after removing “problematic” scenes, but even that was rejected.

Fighter follows Shamsher “Patty” Pathania, played by Roshan, who becomes a member of the Indian Air Force and then has to come to terms with the 2019 Pulwama attack.

Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force (2025) and John Abraham’s The Diplomat (2025) were banned in the UAE as well for similar reasons.