Sanjay Dutt is getting a lot of love for his powerful role in ‘Dhurandhar’. He plays Chaudhary Aslam Khan, a real-life Pakistani police officer known for his tough action against crime and terror.
The film directed by Aditya Dhar is a spy thriller. It takes inspiration from real events and builds a semi-fictional story around India’s fight against terror networks in Pakistan. Big part of the story focuses on Karachi’s Lyari area, which was once known for gang violence and criminal activity.
Also Read: ‘Peak detailing’ or weak detailing? Cameraman in frame, silent gunfire; ‘Dhurandhar’ checks every wrong box
But here’s the twist no one saw coming.
The “Baba Cop” nickname no one expected
Turns out, the real Chaudhary Aslam Khan was actually a huge fan of… Sanjay Dutt himself.
Yes, really.
This surprising detail was revealed by veteran journalist Anirudhya Mitra on The Ranveer Show. According to him, the officer had many nicknames, but one stood out: “Baba Cop.”
Why “Baba”?
Because after watching ‘Khalnayak’, he became a die-hard fan of Sanjay Dutt, who is fondly called “Baba” in Bollywood circles.
Why Sanjay Dutt was the perfect casting
Interestingly, Anirudhya Mitra also said that Sanjay Dutt was the perfect choice for the role. Knowing the real-life connection just makes the casting feel even more spot-on.
It’s almost like life quietly set this up years ago.
He also mentioned that a project based on Chaudhary Aslam’s life had already been attempted in Pakistan before ‘Dhurandhar’.
Who was Chaudhary Aslam Khan?
Chaudhary Aslam Khan wasn’t just a name. He was a force.
He joined the Sindh Police in the 1980s as an Assistant Sub-Inspector. Over the years, he worked across different towns and built a reputation as a fearless officer.
In the 2000s, he was chosen to lead the Lyari Task Force, a major crackdown unit targeting gangs in Karachi. His work led to the elimination of several big criminals in the region.
He even survived a Taliban attack in 2011, something that added to his larger-than-life image.
But his story ended tragically. In 2014, he was assassinated by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistani Taliban group.