The Indian audience is still enjoying the spy action thriller Dhurandhar directed by Aditya Dhar, but the film has managed to arouse a lot of debates even outside the border. A multitude of reactions from Pakistani viewers have been posted on social media with the common opinion that the movie could have been a hit there if it were to be shown in theaters.

The star of the film, Naveen Kaushik, who has a role as Donga in Dhurandhar has now told the reason behind the film being liked by the Pakistani fans.

In an interview with Live Hindustan, Naveen said that the Indian film’s popularity in Pakistan is mainly because of its balanced and mature representation. He emphasized that the viewers were very observant about the fact that the film did not insult or paint the Pakistanis and the Muslim religion in a funny way at all.

“I noticed in the comments from Pakistan that people there realised we never abused or criticised them. The film doesn’t target the Muslim community,” Naveen said. “Instead, we tried to highlight corrupt individuals and agents who misuse the system and create situations where attacks on India take place.”

According to Naveen, this distinction helped Pakistani viewers connect with the film. He added that many recognised that the story questions specific wrongdoers rather than blaming an entire nation.

“They felt that these are the same people who have harmed their own country as well,” he explained. “Audiences related to the idea that such individuals should be questioned and targeted, not that one person’s actions should define a whole country. That’s why the film has received so much love, which is truly nice to see.”

Dhurandhar stars Ranveer Singh as Hamza, an Indian operative who infiltrates the gang of Karachi-based gangster Rehman Dakait, played by Akshaye Khanna. The film blends fiction with real-life inspiration, featuring characters based on figures such as Rehman Dakait, Uzair Baloch (played by Danish Pandore), and Karachi SP Aslam Chaudhary (played by Sanjay Dutt).

Aditya Dhar was the director of the movie Dhurandhar which came into cinemas on December 5 and has already become one of the most successful films of the year. The film’s sequel is planned to hit the screens in March 2026.