Real duffer: Siddharth Anand's cryptic jibe follows Zakir Khan's Dhurandhar remark

Without taking names, filmmaker Siddharth Anand has seemingly slammed Zakir Khan's recent 'Dhurandhar' remark at an awards show. Khan said in jest that film folk from Bandra to Juhu were jealous of Dhurandhar's success.

In Short

• Zakir Khan's joke on Dhurandhar film caused industry backlash
• Siddharth Anand praised Juhu-Bandra filmmakers' 50-year legacy
• Ameesha Patel urged positivity and respect among film professionals

Filmmaker Siddharth Anand has seemingly reacted to comedian Zakir Khan’s recent remark about the success of Dhurandhar: The Revenge at an awards function. Khan had implied in jest that the film folk from Bandra to Juhu were jealous of the film’s success. Now, without taking names, Anand has posted some strong words.

Sharing on social media, Anand defended the contribution of the Mumbai film circuit, stating that “Juhu–Bandra peeps have given all ATBBs (all-time blockbusters) since the past 50 years”. He added that “you have to be a real duffer to undermine their contribution”, though he did not directly name Khan in his post.

How did Siddharth Anand respond?

Anand’s post seemingly pushed back against Khan’s implication that the industry was resentful. Instead, he highlighted the long-standing contribution of filmmakers and stars associated with the Juhu-Bandra belt, which has historically been central to Bollywood’s commercial success.

While his comment did not explicitly mention Khan, it was widely interpreted as a rebuttal to the comedian’s statement.

What did Zakir Khan say about Dhurandhar?

The controversy began when Khan, during an awards show, joked about the film’s success and industry reactions.He suggested that despite publicly praising the film, many within the industry were privately envious of Dhurandhar: The Revenge.

He also referenced the plot of the film saying while “bombs may have gone off in Lyari” in the film, the “smoke” was visible from Bandra to Juhu, a remark that drew mixed reactions.

Who else reacted to the controversy?

Actor Ameesha Patel also criticised the remarks, urging against what she described as “negativity”. She pointed out that several leading actors have delivered multiple blockbuster films over the years and continue to do so.

Meanwhile, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, directed by Aditya Dhar, continues to perform strongly at the box office. The film stars Ranveer Singh along with an ensemble cast, and has been widely discussed for both its commercial success and the conversations it has sparked within the industry.

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