If you walked into a theater yesterday (Jan 1) to watch Ranveer Singh’s spy-thriller Dhurandhar, you might have noticed a small but significant change. While the film is breaking records left, right, and center, the makers have quietly replaced the prints in select theaters with a "Revised Version."
Why? Two words: Political Controversy.
The "Baloch" Problem
According to insider reports, the original cut of the film contained dialogues referencing the "Baloch" region and its freedom struggle, which didn't sit well with certain geopolitical factions.
The Middle East Ban: This specific political angle is reportedly the main reason the film was banned in key Middle Eastern markets (UAE, Qatar, etc.), costing the producers a staggering ₹90 Crores in lost revenue.
The "Safe" Cut: To prevent further diplomatic headaches and potential protests within India, the makers decided to mute/remove the word "Baloch" and alter specific subtitles in the new version.
Did It Work?
Too little, too late? Maybe. While the "Censored Cut" is now playing in theaters, trade experts believe the damage in the Gulf is already done. However, for the Indian audience? It makes zero difference. As one trade analyst tweeted: "Public ko action chahiye, politics nahi. Baloch bolo ya na bolo, Ranveer is the boss!"
Verdict: The spy has cleaned up his tracks, but the box office explosion remains the same. Dhurandhar is unstoppable, censored or not!
