‘Dhurandhar’ Tops Netflix Charts in Pakistan Despite Theatrical Ban, Sparks Massive Viewer Buzz

Ranveer Singh-starrer trends at No. 1 as Pakistani audiences praise film following OTT release

Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster Dhurandhar has emerged as the most-watched film on Netflix in Pakistan, despite never receiving a theatrical release there. The Ranveer Singh-led spy thriller is currently trending at No. 1 on Netflix Pakistan, days after its global digital premiere, highlighting the film’s cross-border appeal.

Screenshots showing Dhurandhar at the top of Netflix Pakistan’s trending films list began circulating on social media over the weekend. The film has outperformed several popular titles on the platform. Hindustan Times independently verified that Dhurandhar has held the top position since at least Saturday. The film made its OTT debut on January 30, eight weeks after its theatrical release.

Dhurandhar stars Ranveer Singh as an Indian intelligence operative who infiltrates criminal networks in Pakistan’s Lyari region. The spy thriller blends real-life incidents and figures with a fictional narrative centred on India’s fight against terrorism. Due to long-standing restrictions, Indian films have not been released theatrically in Pakistan in recent years, and Dhurandhar was no exception.

Despite the lack of a cinema release, the film has generated significant buzz following its availability on Netflix. Pakistani viewers have taken to social media platforms, particularly Reddit, to share largely positive reactions. Several users praised the film’s research, performances and storytelling, with some calling it one of the best Bollywood films they have watched.

One Pakistani viewer wrote that the film avoided stereotypes and portrayed Pakistan without caricature, while another said it challenged the narrative that audiences on either side of the border are inherently hostile toward each other. Others noted that the film focused more on crime and political structures rather than targeting ordinary citizens.

Some viewers also pointed out that while the film criticised extremist elements and criminal-political nexuses, it did not demonise Pakistan as a whole. References were made to filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s review, which described the film as technically strong while raising questions about certain political undertones.

Dhurandhar has been one of the most commercially successful Indian films of all time, grossing ₹1,300 crore worldwide and becoming the second-highest-grossing Bollywood film ever. The ensemble cast includes Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal. A sequel to the film is scheduled for release on March 19.