Ranveer Singh’s spy thriller Dhurandhar has achieved the number one spot on Netflix Pakistan despite being banned from theatrical release in the country. The film’s surprising success on streaming platforms reveals an interesting contradiction between official censorship and public curiosity.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film stars Ranveer Singh as a daring Indian spy who infiltrates Pakistan’s Lyari gangs, blending real-life terrorism incidents with fictional storytelling. The movie grossed over Rs 1,300 crore worldwide despite never receiving a theatrical release in Gulf nations and Pakistan, markets traditionally crucial for Hindi cinema’s global earnings.
Following its Netflix release on January 30, 2026, screenshots flooded social media showing Dhurandhar ahead of films like The Big Fake, Tere Ishk Mein, and Haq. Independent verification confirmed the film has been trending at number one since at least Saturday.
Pakistani viewers’ response has been surprisingly positive. One Pakistani viewer wrote on Reddit: “As a Pakistani, it’s the best Bollywood movie I ever watched. First time I saw a film where actual research has been done, and there’s no use of ‘adaab’ ‘janaab’, surma kajal topi and vest to show Pakistanis.” Another commented, “I’m Pakistani and I love Dhurandhar. Y’all gotta stop creating this narrative that we hate you guys and vice versa. It’s all love from my side”.
Several viewers noted the film highlights crime, politics, and power struggles rather than targeting ordinary Pakistani citizens, and praised its research and lack of typical Bollywood stereotypes.
The irony isn’t lost on anyone; a film depicting Pakistan negatively has become the most-watched content there, proving that streaming platforms can bypass traditional censorship barriers and that audiences appreciate nuanced storytelling over propaganda.
