Bollywood
Dhurandhar Box Office: IMPPA Appeals to PM Modi to Lift Ban in 6 Gulf Countries After Film Enters ₹1200 Cr Club
The Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA) has officially reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his immediate intervention to lift the ban on the blockbuster spy thriller Dhurandhar across six Gulf nations. In a formal letter dated January 7, 2026, the producers' body termed the ban a suppression of the freedom of expression, especially since the film has already been cleared by India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and has emerged as a historic success. The appeal follows reports that authorities in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia have restricted the film's release.The ban is reportedly due to the film's sensitive geopolitical plot, which follows Indian covert intelligence operations set against the backdrop of real-life terror events such as the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the IC-814 hijacking. Despite its massive global popularity, Gulf censors have allegedly flagged the content as having anti-Pakistan messaging, a claim the filmmakers and IMPPA have moved to challenge through diplomatic channels. Massive Financial Setback: ₹90 Crore Lost. Directed by Uri fame Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, Dhurandhar has emerged as an All Time Blockbuster, recently entering the elite ₹1,200 crore club worldwide. While it is currently nearing the all-time Hindi net record set by Pushpa 2: The Rule, the film has already cemented its place as one of the biggest Indian grossers in history. As per the latest reports, the film has amassed a Worldwide gross of ₹1228 Cr, with an India Net of ₹786 Cr, India Gross of ₹943 Cr, and Overseas collections reaching ₹285 Cr. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) However, despite these historic numbers, the lack of a Middle Eastern release—a traditional stronghold for Indian action films—has caused a significant financial dent.Overseas distributor Pranab Kapadia estimated that the ban across six Gulf countries has resulted in a loss of nearly $10 million (approx. ₹90 crore) from that market alone. IMPPA President Abhay Sinha emphasized in the letter to the Prime Minister that these are India-friendly countries with whom India shares robust economic and cultural ties, making the unilateral ban even more unexpected. The letter, which was also copied to Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, urges the Government of India to engage with the respective authorities to ensure that artistic freedom is respected. Dhurandhar features an ensemble cast including Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, and Arjun Rampal, portraying a high-octane operation set in Karachi's Lyari area. As the film continues its record-breaking run in North America and India, the industry remains hopeful that government-level dialogue will allow the millions of Indian expats in the Middle East to finally watch the film on the big screen.
