Sindh govt to release 'Mera Lyari' film to counter propaganda in Indian movie 'Dhurandhar'

Sharjeel Memon calls Indian film part of broader conspiracy, says Lyari is not violence but culture, peace and talent

The Sindh government has announced the release of a new film, 'Mera Lyari', as a counter to the Indian movie 'Dhurandhar', which has drawn criticism for its negative portrayal of Pakistan and Lyari area.

Senior Provincial Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon said the Bollywood film is part of a broader conspiracy against Pakistan, particularly targeting Lyari. “Lyari is not violence—it is culture, peace, talent, and resilience. Next month 'Mera Lyari' will release, showing the true face of Lyari: peace, prosperity, and pride,” he wrote in a post on social media platform X.

Indian movie Dhurandhar is yet another example of negative propaganda by the Indian film industry against Pakistan, especially targeting Lyari. Lyari is not violence—it is culture, peace, talent, and resilience. Next month Mera Lyari will release, showing the true face of Lyari:… pic.twitter.com/v2FsVMfWsB

— Sharjeel Inam Memon (@sharjeelinam) December 13, 2025

Memon emphasised that 'Dhurandhar' seeks to misrepresent Lyari, which he described as a symbol of cultural richness and social harmony. He added that the upcoming Sindhi-language film aims to present the city’s reality to both local and international audiences.

A day earlier, a constitutional petition has been filed in a Karachi court against the Indian film Dhurandhar for unauthorised use of images of the late Benazir Bhutto, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) flag, and party rally footage in its trailer. The petition also accuses the film of portraying the PPP as supportive of terrorists.

The petition was filed by PPP activist Muhammad Amir in the District and Sessions Court (South) in Karachi. It seeks an FIR against the film’s director, producers, actors, and other relevant staff involved in creating and promoting the movie.

The petition names director Aditya Dhar, producers Lokesh Dhar and Jyoti Kishore Deshpande, and actors Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Beni. It also lists cinematographer Vikash Nolcha, editor Shiv Kumar V Panicker, and other unnamed crew members as proposed accused.

According to the petition, the official trailer includes images of the late former prime minister and PPP visuals without legal permission. It alleges that the film portrays the PPP as sympathetic to terrorists and labels Karachi’s Lyari area as a “terrorist war zone,” which the petitioner argues is defamatory, misleading, and harmful to Pakistan’s reputation.

'Dhurandhar' has triggered strong backlash since its release for its portrayal of Karachi’s Lyari as a war zone. The Indian movie features Ranveer Singh as a RAW agent, while Arjun Rampal plays a Pakistani intelligence officer.