How Did a Spy Film Create Tensions Between India and Pakistan? New Era

Movies are usually made for fun. We buy popcorn. They sit in a dark room (Spy Film). We watch heroes fight bad guys. However, sometimes a movie is more than just a story. It can start a big fight between whole countries. This is exactly what happened recently. A new Bollywood spy film called “Dhurandhar” was released in December 2025. It stars famous actors like Ranveer Singh. But instead of just applause, it got a lot of anger.

People in India are arguing about it. People in Pakistan are very upset. Even countries in the Gulf have banned it. Why is a make-believe story causing so much real trouble? Let’s break it down simply. We will look at the story, the anger, and the history.

The Movie That Started It All

First, let us look at the film itself. The movie is called “Dhurandhar”. In Hindi, this word means someone who is a master or a legend. The film is directed by Aditya Dhar. He is famous for making another war movie called “Uri: The Surgical Strike”. That movie was also very patriotic.

“Dhurandhar” is a spy thriller. A spy thriller is a movie about secret agents. In this story, an Indian secret agent goes into Pakistan. He goes to a place called Lyari. Lyari is a real neighborhood in the city of Karachi. The spy’s job is to stop bad guys. The movie says these bad guys are planning attacks on India.

The hero fights gangsters. He shoots guns. He jumps off buildings. This sounds like a normal action movie. However, the problem is the story behind the action. The movie mixes real events with made-believe ones. It uses real names of places and political parties. This is where the trouble begins.

Why Pakistan Is Very Angry

Pakistan is India’s neighbor. The two countries have a long history of fighting. They have fought four wars. Relations are often tense. When Bollywood makes movies about Pakistan, Pakistanis watch closely.

This time, the reaction in Pakistan is very strong. Here are the main reasons why they are angry:

• The Story of Lyari: The movie shows Lyari as a place full of anti-India terrorists. However, people in Karachi say this is wrong. Lyari is known for football and boxing. It did have gang wars in the past. But locals say those gangs were fighting each other, not plotting against India. They feel the movie lies about their home.
• Political Pictures: The movie shows flags and pictures of a real political party in Pakistan. This party is the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The movie suggests this party helped terrorists. The PPP is a big and famous party. They are very angry. They say this is false propaganda.
• Twisting History: The film links the Lyari gangs to attacks in Mumbai. Experts in Pakistan say there is no proof of this. They feel Bollywood is rewriting history to make Pakistan look bad.

Because of this, many people in Pakistan are calling for a boycott. They say the film spreads hate.

The Political Fight Inside India

You might think everyone in India loves the movie. That is not true. The movie has caused a storm inside India too.

India is a democracy. It has many political parties. The ruling party (the government) likes the film. They say it shows the truth about terrorism. They say it makes Indians feel proud. Leaders from this party have told people to watch it.

On the other hand, the opposition parties disagree. They say the movie is “propaganda.” Propaganda is information used to help one side and hurt another. The opposition says the movie was made just to help the government get votes. They argue that the film spreads hate against neighbors.

So, in India, the movie has become a political tool. If you like the movie, some say you support the government. If you dislike it, some say you are against the nation. It has divided people.

The Gulf Countries Ban the Film

The anger did not stop in South Asia. It traveled to the Middle East. Many Indian movies make a lot of money in countries like Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. These places have many people from both India and Pakistan.

However, “Dhurandhar” faced a big wall there. Reports say that several Gulf countries banned the film. They did not allow it to be shown in theaters.

Why did they do this? Usually, censors in these countries dislike movies that attack other nations or religions. They do not want fights in their cinemas. They felt the movie was too aggressive. This is a big loss for the filmmakers. It shows that the controversy is serious.

A Trend of Spy Movies

This is not the first time this has happened. In the last few years, Bollywood has made many spy movies. This is called a “trend.” A trend is when everyone does the same thing.

Here are a few other films that caused similar trouble:

• “Tiger 3”: This film also had a spy story involving Pakistan.
• “Mission Majnu”: This movie was on Netflix. It showed an Indian spy in the 1970s. Pakistanis made fun of it because the details were wrong.
• “Fighter”: This was about air force pilots. It had very harsh dialogues against Pakistan.

It seems Bollywood has found a formula. They know that stories about defeating Pakistan sell tickets. People feel patriotic. They cheer when the hero wins. But, critics ask a hard question. Is it good to make money by spreading anger?

Real Spies vs. Reel Spies

“Reel” means movies. Real life is very different from movies.

In movies, one spy can save the world. He can shoot 100 people. He can enter a high-security building easily. In real life, spying is quiet. It is boring. It involves reading papers and listening to whispers.

Real spies do not want to be seen. In “Dhurandhar”, the spy is an action hero. He is loud. This makes for a fun movie, but it is not realistic. When movies claim to be “based on true events,” people believe them. They think the loud action is what really happened. This can be dangerous. It changes how young people see history.

The Role of Social Media Spy Film

Social media added fuel to the fire. Sites like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram exploded.

• Hashtags: People started using hashtags. Some trended #BoycottDhurandhar. Others trended #WatchDhurandhar.
• Memes: People made funny pictures or memes. Some made fun of the movie’s mistakes. Others made fun of the people who were angry.
• Fights: Strangers started fighting online.

The internet makes things move fast. A small comment can become a big headline. The filmmakers know this. Sometimes, bad publicity is still good publicity. It makes people curious. They want to see why everyone is angry. So, they buy a ticket.

Can Art Bridge the Gap?

Art is supposed to bring people together. Music, paintings, and movies usually help us understand each other.

For a long time, Indians loved Pakistani TV shows. Pakistanis loved Bollywood movies. Actors from both sides worked together. This was a bridge of friendship.

However, recent spy films are burning this bridge. They paint the other side as pure evil. There is no middle ground. There is no love.

Many peace activists are sad. They say we need stories of love, not war. They want movies like “Bajrangi Bhaijaan”. That movie was about an Indian man helping a Pakistani girl. It was a huge hit in both countries. It showed that love is stronger than hate.

The storm over “Dhurandhar” shows we have moved away from that. We are in an era of “us versus them.”

What Happens Next?

The movie is out. The money is being made. The politicians are shouting. But what will happen in the long run?

Likely, this storm will pass. A new movie will come out next month. People will forget “Dhurandhar”. However, the feelings will stay. Spy Film

If movies keep showing neighbors as enemies, children will learn to hate. They will think war is cool. They will not know the value of peace. Spy Film

Filmmakers have a big responsibility. They have a loud voice. They can choose to speak words of peace or words of war. Right now, it seems war sells better. But we, the audience, also have a choice. We can choose what we watch. We can ask for better stories. Spy Film

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