Indian film Dhurandhar has been banned from screening in several Gulf countries after objections were raised over content perceived as hostile towards Pakistan.
According to media reports, the movie has been banned in six Gulf countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.
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The decision came after regulators reviewed the content, labeling it as an “anti-Pakistan film” and deeming it biased and objectionable.
The film’s distributors had applied for release approval across the Gulf region, but the request was rejected.
As a result, Dhurandhar will not be screened in any of the six Gulf countries.
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Reports said the ban was imposed due to the portrayal of material seen as prejudiced and insensitive, which did not meet the cultural and regulatory standards of the region.
This is not the first time an Indian film has faced restrictions in the Middle East.
In the past, several Indian productions have been denied release or censored in Gulf countries over content-related concerns.
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It follows several other Indian films to have faced bans in Gulf countries.
According to the media reports, Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone’s Fighter (2024) was initially cleared for release only in the UAE but was later suspended.
The filmmakers submitted a revised version after removing reportedly “problematic” scenes, yet that too was rejected.
Fighter follows Shamsher “Patty” Pathania, played by Roshan, who joins the Indian Air Force and grapples with the aftermath of the 2019 Pulwama attack.
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Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force (2025) and John Abraham’s The Diplomat (2025) were also banned in the UAE for similar reasons.
