Dhurandhar faces legal hurdle as Chaudhary Aslam’s widow objects to trailer dialogue

Ranveer Singh’s upcoming espionage thriller Dhurandhar has sparked fresh controversy even before its release. Just a day after the parents of late Major Mohit Sharma approached the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the film, the widow of Pakistani police officer Chaudhary Aslam has raised objections, warning she will take legal action if her husband is shown inaccurately or in a disrespectful manner.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar is set in Karachi’s Lyari district, an area known for its history of gang conflicts and terror activities. The film features Sanjay Dutt portraying Chaudhary Aslam, the real-life officer renowned for leading operations against notorious criminals like Rehman Dakait and Uzair Baloch. Aslam, who survived a bomb attack at his home in 2011, was killed on January 9, 2014, in a bombing on the Lyari Expressway. The attack, claimed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban’s Mohmand chapter, also took the lives of his driver, guard, and two other police officers.

Following the trailer release earlier this month, Aslam’s widow, Naureen Aslam, expressed concern over her husband’s depiction. She said she plans to watch the full film when it releases on December 5 but has already flagged a particular line from the trailer. In the dialogue, the character is referred to as the “child of the devil and a jinn,” which she found deeply offensive.

Speaking to PTI, Naureen Aslam said, “We are Muslims and such words are disrespectful to not only Aslam but his mother as well, who was a simple honest woman.” She emphasized that any misrepresentation could lead her to pursue legal action to protect her husband’s legacy.

This is the latest challenge for Dhurandhar, which has already faced scrutiny due to its portrayal of real-life military figures. The film promises high-octane action sequences and dramatized depictions of crime and intelligence operations in one of Karachi’s most volatile areas.

With the release date approaching, the makers will need to address these concerns carefully. As legal notices and public objections mount, the film’s reception may be influenced as much by the controversies around its portrayal of real-life figures as by its on-screen storytelling.