‘Dhurandhar’ banned in GCC countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE reject for anti-Pakistan theme

GCC countries ban ‘Dhurandhar’: Despite facing heavy criticism, Dhurandhar has now crossed the Rs 300-crore mark globally according to industry tracker Sacnilk. This is a remarkable feat, showing that audiences in India and other markets have embraced the film. Analysts believe the number could have been even higher if the movie had released in the Gulf countries.

Gulf release blocked for ‘Dhurandhar’

Fans in the GCC (full form: Gulf Cooperation Council) countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE won’t be seeing the film in theatres. Reports suggest the movie was blocked due to being perceived as anti-Pakistan.

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According to Bollywood Hungama, the makers tried to secure a release in these markets but were denied clearance.

 

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A source told the publication, “Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have not released Dhurandhar. There were apprehensions that this would happen as the film is perceived as an ‘anti-Pakistan film’. In the past too, such films have failed to procure a release in this region. The team still made an attempt, but none of the countries approved the film’s theme.”

This is not the first time a politically sensitive Bollywood film has faced such hurdles in the Gulf.

Which films were banned in GCC countries earlier?

Back in 2020, Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, encountered a similar roadblock. The film, which depicted the Pulwama attack, faced criticism in Pakistan for touching on a sensitive topic. Despite submitting a re-edited version for Gulf markets, the UAE ministry rejected it.

Other recent Hindi films that were not screened in the region include Sky Force, The Diplomat, Article 370, and Tiger 3.

‘Dhurandhar’ cast and direction

Directed by Aditya Dhar, who made waves with URI: The Surgical Strike, Dhurandhar features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Rakesh Bedi.

Also Read: Hrithik Roshan disagrees with ‘Dhurandhar’ politics; trolling pushes him to publish a clarifying post