Netizens are stirring controversy after filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj liked a video comparing Dhurandhar viewers to Nazi Germany. The photo, showing the Haider and O Romeo director liking a reel titled "Why didn’t you watch Dhurandhar?", quickly went viral. Social media users reacted strongly, with some joking, “Jalan ho raha hai, bechare ko,” while others linked it to comedian Zakir Khan’s claim that filmmakers are jealous of Dhurandhar’s success.
A user named @Alreadysad__ shared a post on X showing Bhardwaj liking a reel that featured the famous picture of August Landmesser, the man who refused to salute Adolf Hitler. The reel carried the caption, "Why didn't you watch Dhurandhar?," implying that those who watched it were like Nazis. The user shared the photo without naming the original creator, captioning it: "Haider director Vishal Bhardwaj is liking a post which compares Dhurandhar viewers with germany Nazis. Zakir Khan was right 'Dhurandhar se sabki jali to hai'."
Infuriated over Vishal liking the post, a user recalled online that an actor from Bhardwaj's film Haider had joined ISIS and was later killed in an encounter. The angry user commented, "Not surprising Vishal bharadwaj likes to work with terrorists instead." Responding to Vishal allegedly liking the post, another wrote, "@VishalBhardwaj then your movie viewers are literally ISIS terrorists."
The other user who believed that Bharadwaj did like the post, wrote, "Look at the audacity of Vishal Bhardwaj, he is comparing Dhurandhar viewers with Nazis. Bro your movie viewers are literally ISI Sympathizers." One more joked, "Jalan ho raha he bechare ko. Jalne do."
This reaction by viewers came after Saqib Bilal Sheikh, who acted briefly in Vishal Bhardwaj’s film Haider, was killed in a gunfight with security forces while reportedly involved with terrorists in Srinagar. Because of his past role in the movie, some netizens wrongly linked Bhardwaj’s film to extremist activities, calling it "ISIS sympathisers" and expressing anger online.
Despite widespread social media claims that Vishal Bhardwaj liked a post comparing Dhurandhar viewers to Nazis, the Free Press Journal could not locate the original post or verify the authenticity of the viral X post.
