Dhurandhar Producers Seek PM Modi's Intervention Dhurandhar Producers On Ranveer Singh's Movie In Middle East

The Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step in after several Middle Eastern countries blocked the release of Dhurandhar, even as the spy thriller breaks box office records and becomes the highest-grossing Hindi film in India. The ban affects planned releases in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, despite Dhurandhar securing an A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification before its December release and running successfully across India as a major commercial hit.

Dhurandhar ban draws protest from IMPPA

IMPPA, which represents filmmakers from multiple Indian film industries, has called the move a curb on creative rights, saying the decision by Middle Eastern authorities is "unilateral and uncalled for" and undermines the freedom of expression of the producer and the wider film fraternity.

"We earnestly appeal to your kind self to intervene regarding the unilateral and uncalled-for ban imposed on the film 'Dhurandhar' by the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Our member producer has made this film and has released the same after getting certification by the Central Board of Film Certification, and the ban imposed by the above countries is a suppression of the Freedom of Expression of our member, as the film has emerged as one of the biggest hits in Indian cinema," read the letter.

Diplomatic angle to Dhurandhar ban and IMPPA appeal

The organisation also highlighted India’s wider ties with the region and asked the Centre to raise the Dhurandhar ban at a diplomatic level, noting that these nations are described as India-friendly and share trade links across several important economic sectors beyond entertainment.

"We, as representatives of the largest and oldest Producers' Association, IMPPA, request you earnestly with folded hands to kindly intervene, as the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia are India-friendly countries, and we conduct regular business with them across multiple sectors. We therefore humbly request that the Government of India take up this matter with the concerned authorities in these countries and make efforts to ensure that freedom of expression is respected and the ban is revoked at the earliest," the letter, signed by IMPPA President Abhay Sinha, added.

Dhurandhar ban overshadows film’s record performance

Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, features Ranveer Singh as an Indian spy operating in Pakistan, alongside Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and R Madhavan, and has grown into a major global success for the Hindi film industry.

The film’s financial performance is outlined below.

Metric	Figure
Worldwide gross	₹1230 crore
Rank among all Indian films	4th-highest-grossing
Net collection in India	₹800 crore (only Bollywood film to reach this figure)
Certification	A certificate from CBFC

The makers have planned Dhurandhar as a two-part franchise, with the sequel scheduled for an Eid 2026 release, and the dispute over the Dhurandhar ban in West Asian markets now sits alongside the film’s strong box office run and growing industry impact.