Ranveer Singh’s latest release Dhurandhar may be performing well at the box office, but it has drawn strong criticism from the family of late SP Chaudhary Aslam, whose life partly inspired Sanjay Dutt’s character.
Chaudhary Aslam’s widow, Noreen, expressed her disappointment and warned that she may take legal action against the makers. Speaking on Dialogue Pakistan’s podcast, she said her husband admired Sanjay Dutt since the Khalnayak era, and she expected the film to honour his legacy.
However, a line in the trailer left her deeply offended. A character refers to Aslam as the “offspring of the devil and a djinn,” which she found disrespectful not only to her husband but also to his late mother. Noreen described her as a simple and honest woman who did not deserve such a remark.
Noreen also emphasised that her family is Muslim and that remarks like these cross the basic boundary of respect. She warned that if the final film contains any content that misrepresents Chaudhary Aslam or appears propagandist, she will not hesitate to pursue legal action.
She also questioned why Indian filmmakers often select subjects that, in her view, malign Pakistan, especially when dealing with sensitive cross border themes.
Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar and produced by Jio Studios, is inspired by Operation Lyari, a major covert operation in Karachi. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Sara Arjun.
Despite its commercial success, the controversy has created additional scrutiny regarding how the film portrays real life figures.
