Pakistani journalist Arif Ajakia said the Indian film *Dhurandhar* accurately portrays the reality of the Lyari neighborhood in Karachi.
The endorsement from Ajakia, who was born in Lyari, has gained significant traction across social media platforms, including YouTube Shorts. His validation of the film's authenticity provides a rare cross-border cultural endorsement for a production depicting a sensitive Pakistani locale.
Ajakia said the film's representation of Lyari's streets, culture, and challenges matched his own lived experience. "Everything shown was true," Ajakia said [1]. He said that "Dhurandhar’s Lyari representation was true" [2].
The film, also referred to as *Dhurandhar: The Revenge* or *Dhurandhar 2*, has seen a surge in popularity within Pakistan. Some viral videos claim the movie trended at No. 1 [3] on Netflix in the country. These same reports suggest that Netflix servers crashed within minutes of the film's release [4].
However, the reports regarding technical failures remain unverified. While some outlets reported the server crash [4], other reports noted that these claims stem from a viral video and lack official confirmation [5].
Earlier reports indicate the film was released in cinemas on March 19 [6]. The production features actor Ranveer Singh and focuses on themes of revenge and urban struggle. Ajakia's public support has contributed to the film's visibility on Pakistani social-media channels, where users have discussed the accuracy of the setting.
“"Everything shown was true."”
The viral endorsement by a local journalist suggests that the film's attention to detail in depicting Lyari resonated with those familiar with the area. While the reported Netflix server crash remains unconfirmed, the high level of social media engagement indicates a strong interest in Indian cinema's portrayal of Pakistani urban environments, despite the complex geopolitical relationship between the two nations.
