Despite a strong performance at the Indian box office and among international audiences, Ranveer Singh’s latest release Dhurandhar has been banned from release across GCC countries, particulary due to its political content.
The film failed to secure clearance in six GCC countries- Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE-key markets that often contribute significantly to Bollywood’s overseas revenue.
“There were apprehensions that this would happen as the film is perceived as an ‘anti-Pakistan film’. The team still made an attempt, but none of the countries approved the film’s theme. That’s why Dhurandhar hasn’t been released in any Gulf territory,” a source told Bollywood Hungama. Several publications have cited the Bollywood Hungama report in their coverage.
Indian film “Dhurandhar” has been banned across the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, and will not be screened in cinemas due to its “anti-Pakistan” content. pic.twitter.com/oCIHkNIO3x
— Ihtisham Ul Haq (@iihtishamm) December 11, 2025
Read more: Set in Karachi’s Lyari, Dhurandhar Rakes in Rs. 100 Crore in Just 3 Days
The plot of the movie is extensively anti-Pakistan and links Pakistan’s internal gang war to the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. The GCC nations are home to large South Asian populations and avid Bollywood audiences, will now see a complete blackout of the film despite the makers’ attempts to release it.
The movie has been directed by Aditya Dhar who has previously directed films including Uri-The Surgical Strike 2019 and Article 370, 2024. Dhurandhar has been released on December 5, is about an Indian spy played by Ranveer Singh who is being infiltrated in Karachi’s Lyari gang war. The star cast includes Arjun Rampal , R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt and Akshay Khanna.
This is not the first movie that is facing a complete ban on its release in the GCC countries. Earlier films like Fighter 2024, featuring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, was restricted from release in the UAE, Sky Force, and The Diplomat, featuring both Akshay Kumar and John Abraham, were banned due to Pakistan-related content.
Then Article 370, released in 2024, a political drama, was refused certification across GCC markets. Then again, Tiger 3, released in 2023, starring Salman Khan and Deepika Padukone, faced a ban in Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. The Kashmir Files, released in 2022, initially was banned across several Gulf countries but later UAE allowed it within adults-only ratings.