I&B ministry orders Dhurandhar makers to mute ‘Baloch’; revised cut in cinemas

NATIONAL: Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller Dhurandhar is heading back to cinemas in a revised cut, even as it continues a record-breaking box-office run.

According to trade communication sent to exhibitors on December 31, distributors have asked theatres nationwide to replace the film’s digital cinema package and screen an updated version from January 1, 2026. The changes follow directives from India’s ministry of information and broadcasting, which required the muting of two words and the alteration of a dialogue. One of the excised references, trade sources said, was the word “Baloch”. 

The move comes amid fierce public debate around the film’s political subtext, with critics branding it propaganda even as audiences have turned it into a phenomenon. Released on December 5, Dhurandhar has surged past the box-office tallies of Pathaan, Jawan and Chhaava, crossing Rs 1,100 crore globally and Rs 739 crore in India within four weeks.

Led by Ranveer Singh as an Indian spy embedded inside a terror network in Pakistan’s Lyari Town, the film has drawn particular acclaim for Akshaye Khanna’s turn as Rehman Dakait. It also stars Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal and Sara Arjun, among others. Despite its domestic success, the film remains banned across Gulf markets.