Whether or not the debate continues Ranveer SinghThe hit ‘Dhurandhar’ presents a fair or politically motivated image of Pakistan, a voice from an unexpected neighborhood has entered the conversation. A Pakistani journalist who was born and raised in the Lyari area of Karachi and was elected as its mayor has publicly defended the film’s portrayal of the region, saying it is a reflection of the reality on the ground.
The Pakistani journalist born in Lyari supports ‘Dhurandhar’
‘Dhurandhar’, released in 2025, was a huge commercial success, attracting audiences with its dramatization of counter-terrorism efforts in Lyari, Karachi and India. A sequel followed in March 2026, continuing the momentum of the franchise. However, both films have drawn criticism from commentators who say they push a political agenda rather than offering a balanced portrayal of events.In a video shared by ANI from Talk Journalism 2026, Pakistani journalist Arif Aajakia gave a striking first-hand endorsement of the film in an interview with journalist Saurabh Dwivedi. Aajakia’s credibility on the matter is hard to ignore; He was the elected mayor of a town in Karachi during the period covered by the film, and Lyari grew up there.
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He said, “I was a mayor of a village in Karachi, an elected mayor at the time Dhurandhar was made. I was born and brought up in Lyari, so I knew everything shown was true.”Aajakia also made a personal disclosure, giving more weight to his remarks. Revealing her family’s roots across the border, she said, “I was born in Karachi, but my parents were born in Junagadh (Gujarat). I think I am of Indian origin, not Pakistani.”The statement is likely to fuel further debate over ‘Dhurandhar’.
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the director Aditya Dhar and led by Ranveer Singh, the collection of both the films crossed 3.1 billion Euros at the worldwide box office. The first part was released on December 5, 2025, and the second part hit theaters on March 19, 2026.
