Watch: Amid Pakistan's Dhurandhar Ban, Bilawal Bhutto's Grand Entry On FA9LA Song

Despite a ban by Islamabad, the Indian espionage thriller Dhurandhar seems to be riding the wave of popularity in Pakistan. While some Pakistani politicians are busy filing cases against the movie for its supposed "anti-Pakistan" stance, FA9LA-- a viral song from the film-- has become a party staple across the nation. 

Recently, a video went viral showing the popular song by Bahraini artist Nawaf Fahed, aka Flipperachi, being played at a party in Pakistan where Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto was also present.

The clip showed Bhutto being welcomed on stage and taking a seat while FA9LA from Dhurandhar plays in the background, even though the film is banned in the country. The song is tied to one of the film's most talked-about characters, Rehman Dakait -- an infamous don – played by Akshaye Khanna.

On one hand Pakistani politicians are filing FIRs against Dhurandhar, on the other hand they are welcoming Bilawal Bhutto with the banger Dhurandhar song. Pakistanis won't admit but they are addicted to Indian cinema and songs!

pic.twitter.com/BCsqykKSdm

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) December 17, 2025

Bhutto's PPP itself has filed a legal challenge against the film in a Karachi court, questioning the images of the late Benazir Bhutto being used. The petition seeks an FIR against the cast and crew of the movie Dhurandhar.

Pakistan's Ban On Dhurandhar

Pakistan and some Gulf nations have banned the screenings of Dhurandhar for its supposed "negative propaganda". But the movie is showing no signs of slowing down at the box office across the rest of the world

The movie, which deals with the 1999 Kandahar hijacking, the Mumbai 26/11 attacks and also the Lyari gang wars, has not gone down well with the Pakistani establishment, and all attempts have been made to block it. However, Pakistan's spy agency ISI has completely lost control over the digital space, and attempts at a blackout have failed miserably.

At least 2 million illegal downloads of the film have been reported in Pakistan in just two weeks. It has gone on to become the most pirated movie in Pakistan, beating Rajinikanth's 2.0 and Shah Rukh Khan's Raees. The ban in Pakistan may have cost the movie makers Rs 50-60 crore, but the message about Pakistan being a complete terror state has been sent across Pakistan.

Although it makes no difference to the Pakistanis about what their country is, it is a psychological win for India, which has managed to spread the message despite the movie being banned. The Pakistanis are in particular upset about the portrayal of Lyari. The establishment is so desperate to counter this narrative that it has decided to fast-track a film about Lyari showing the place in a good light.

The film's star cast is led by Ranveer Singh, who plays Hamza, an Indian spy who infiltrates Pakistan's Lyari to dismantle terror networks, which are backed by the ISI. The cast also includes Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Rakesh Bedi.