New Delhi: Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which shattered box office records, has now courted controversy after a PIL raised concerns about the film revealing tactical and sensitive information on the country’s intelligence and defence operations. Following which, the Delhi High Court asked the Centre and the censor board to look into concerns.
Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, was released in two parts – Dhurandhar (2025), and Dhurandhar: The Revenge (2026). The film narrates the story of an Indian spy, Hamza, who goes to Pakistan’s Lyari to infiltrate a Baloch gang.
What did the Delhi High Court say?
A bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said that the PIL was not made without any material, and although a movie is made for entertainment, its impact cannot be denied. The PIL was filed by the petitioner, a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel.
The court ordered, “The Censor Board should have some guidelines. We want you to consider this representation and take an informed decision,” the bench orally said. “This court is of the opinion that the concerns raised by the petitioner need to be considered and addressed appropriately. We dispose of the writ petition with a direction to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and CBFC to consider the entire writ petition as representation of the petitioner and take an appropriate decision on the issues raised.”
The bench further added, “The Censor Board should have some guidelines. We want you to consider this representation and take an informed decision.”
What did the petitioner claim in the PIL?
Alleging that Dhurandhar 2 violated the Official Secrets Act (OSA), 1923, by depicting tactical operations, sensitive locations and intelligence agents in detail, the petitioner strongly criticised the film, claiming that certain scenes disclosed information that could potentially threaten national security.
The petitioner further raised objections to the film’s portrayal of “classified protocols: and “deep cover identities”, arguing that the movie compromised the safety of undercover agents. The PIL also alleged that the spy thriller triggered a “spy alert” among local authorities in Karachi, Pakistan. Additionally, the petitioner sought the introduction of a “spy movie protocol” and demanded the cancellation of the film’s certification.
The court ordered, “This court is of the opinion that the concerns raised by the petitioner need to be considered and addressed appropriately. We dispose of the writ petition with a direction to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and CBFC to consider the entire writ petition as representation of the petitioner and take an appropriate decision on the issues raised.”
The court, meanwhile, directed the authorities to inform the petitioner about the decision taken on his representation, along with any corrective measures adopted in the matter.
