- Pakistani viewers widely pirated Dhurandhar 1 and 2 despite the official ban on Indian films there
- Dhurandhar 1 topped Netflix Pakistan’s movie list for weeks after its official streaming debut
- Dhurandhar 2 saw mixed reactions in Pakistan compared to the unanimous praise for part one
Indian films tend to find a way into Pakistan despite a ban on the cinema from across the border. Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar films are no different.
Pakistanis watched Dhurandhar part one within the few days of its release back in December through widespread pirated online downloads and illegal streaming, and loved it. The film topped Netflix Pakistan's movie list for weeks after its official streaming debut in the country.
Dhurandhar 2, which released globally except in Pakistan and the GCC belt on March 19, has been watched by a section of Pakistani audience through a pirated cut.
But then there are some who are waiting for a better quality version of the film, fronted by Ranveer Singh. Pakistan's top exhibitor Nadeem Mandviwalla is one of them.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Nadeem Mandviwalla spoke about how Dhurandhar 2 has been received by the people in Pakistan.
"Many people in Pakistan have watched the film's pirated version. I haven't as yet, I prefer watching in good quality. If I get a pirated version in good quality, I'll watch it," the veteran distributor said.
But the response to Dhurandhar 2 has been starkly different from its much-loved predecessor.
"The first part was so successful that it is obvious that people will watch the second part too. There was unanimous praise for Dhurandhar part one when it was released in December, but there has been a mixed response to part two in Pakistan," according to Nadeem Mandviwalla.
The top exhibitor also said Pakistani viewers of Dhurandhar 2 say that the new film isn't as focused on making Pakistan the villain as it may have been in Dhurandhar.
"Part one was a good film. It was clever and done in a good manner... People are saying that the second part of the film is less focused on Pakistan bashing," he added.
In fact, Pakistanis watched Dhurandhar 2 the same day it was released elsewhere in the world.
Pakistani journalist Khalid Mehmood Khalid shared a video of watching the film on his home screen in an X post. "Watching Dhurandhar 2 in Lahore," he wrote.
The journalist eventually deleted the clip after he was relentlessly trolled by fellow Pakistanis for "promoting a film that was anti-Pakistani".
During Dhurandhar release last year, pirated DVDs of the film were selling like hotcakes in Pakistan for a meagre Rs 50 (PKR) which is approximately Rs 16 (INR).
Previously, an IANS report claimed that at least 2 million illegal downloads of Dhurandhar have been reported in Pakistan in just two weeks.
"It has become the most pirated movie there, surpassing 2.0 and Raees. The ban may have cost the filmmakers Rs 50-60 crore, but the message portraying Pakistan as a complete terror state has reached audiences across the country," the report stated.
In terms of box office, Dhurandhar 2 has breached the Rs 1,000 crore (net) mark in India within 18 days of its release, earning Rs 1,013.77 crore. According to trade tracker Sacnilk, the multistarrer movie has become the fastest Rs 1,000 crore (net) earner after yet another sequel, Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2 which released in 2024.
Dhurandhar 2 also stars R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun, Gaurav Gera, and Danish Pandor.
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