Pakistani journalist born in Lyari backs Dhurandhar: Everything shown was true

Pakistani journalist Arif Aajakia defended Dhurandhar's portrayal of Karachi's Lyari, saying the film accurately reflects the area's reality. He recounted his own experience growing up in Lyari.

In Short

• Pakistani journalist Arif Aajakia supported Dhurandhar's portrayal of Lyari
• Aajakia shared his personal experience matching the film's depiction of Lyari
• The Dhurandhar franchise sparked debate on political bias and real events

Pakistani journalist Arif Aajakia defended Dhurandhar's portrayal of Karachi's Lyari region, saying the film showed the area truthfully. He shared that his own life experience in Lyari matched what was shown on screen.

His remarks come at a time when the Dhurandhar franchise is being discussed widely online. While some viewers have accused the film of pushing a political viewpoint, others said it draws from real events linked to crime networks and counter-terror operations in Lyari.

What Aajakia said

In a video shared by ANI from Talk Journalism 2026, Aajakia spoke to journalist Saurabh Dwivedi and said, "I was the mayor of a town in Karachi, elected mayor during the period when Dhurandhar was done. I was born and raised in Lyari, so I knew that everything shown was true."

He also spoke about his family's roots and said, "I was born in Karachi, but my parents were born in Junagadh, Gujarat. I consider myself to be of Indian origin, not Pakistani."

Response to Dhurandhar

The film follows an Indian undercover operative moving through dangerous criminal ecosystems. Ranveer Singh plays Jaskirat Singh Rangi, also known as Hamza Ali Mazari, an Indian intelligence operative who takes on a false identity while infiltrating Pakistan's criminal and terror networks.

The first film, which was released on December 5 last year, collected more than Rs 1,350 crore worldwide after its 2025 release. Dhurandhar: The Revenge, released on March 19, added another Rs 1,800 crore globally and took the combined total past Rs 3,100 crore.

The ensemble cast also includes R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Gaurav Gera, Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun, Danish Pandor, Udaybir Sandhu, Bimal Oberoi, Saumya Tandon and Manav Gohil.

After its theatrical run, Dhurandhar: The Revenge is scheduled to release in its Raw and Undekha version on JioHotstar in India on June 4. The first film's Raw and Undekha version is already streaming on Netflix and JioHotstar.

- Ends