Despite the ban on Indian films in Pakistan, Bollywood director Aditya Dhar’s action drama sequel Dhurandhar 2, starring Ranveer Singh in the lead role, is reportedly being watched by audiences in the country through pirated versions.
In an interview with NDTV recently, leading Pakistani exhibitor and distributor Nadeem Mandviwalla revealed that many viewers in Pakistan have already watched the film through illegal streaming or downloaded copies. However, he said he personally prefers to watch the film in better quality.
"Many people in Pakistan have watched the film's pirated version. I haven't as yet, I prefer watching in good quality. If I get a pirated version in good quality, I'll watch it," Mandviwalla said.
The sequel was released globally on March 19 but did not get a theatrical release in Pakistan. Still, it appears to have found its way to viewers through unofficial channels.
According to Mandviwalla, the response to the second installment has been somewhat mixed compared to the overwhelming appreciation for its predecessor, Dhurandhar, which released in December.
"The first part was so successful that it is obvious that people will watch the second part too. There was unanimous praise for Dhurandhar part one when it was released in December 2025, but there has been a mixed response to part two in Pakistan," he explained.
He also noted that some viewers believe the sequel has toned down its portrayal of Pakistan compared to the first film. "Part one was a good film. It was clever and done in a good manner... People are saying that the second part of the film is less focused on Pakistan bashing," Mandviwalla added.
Reports suggest that several Pakistanis watched Dhurandhar 2 on the same day it was released in other parts of the world. Pakistani journalist Khalid Mehmood Khalid even posted a video showing the film playing on his home screen in Lahore, writing, "Watching Dhurandhar 2 in Lahore."
However, the clip was later deleted after he faced criticism online, with several users accusing him of promoting a film they described as anti-Pakistani.
Piracy has been a recurring issue with the Dhurandhar franchise. During the release of the first film, pirated DVDs were reportedly being sold widely across Pakistan for around PKR 50 (approximately Rs 16).
An earlier report by IANS claimed that the original Dhurandhar saw at least two million illegal downloads in Pakistan within just two weeks of its release.
Meanwhile, Dhurandhar 2 has been performing strongly at the box office in India. According to Sacnilk, the film crossed Rs 1,000 crore (net) in India within 18 days of its release, earning Rs 1,013.77 crore and becoming one of the fastest films to achieve the milestone after Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna's Pushpa 2: The Rule.
Apart from Ranveer, the film also features R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun, Gaurav Gera, Manav Gohil and Danish Pandor in key roles.
