Baloch are not religious extremists: Activist Mir Yar Baloch on Aditya Dhar's 'Dhurandhar'

New Delhi: The Baloch are not religious extremists nor do they wage violence in the name of religion, says prominent activist Mir Yar Baloch, criticising the portrayal of the Baloch people in Aditya Dhar's blockbuster "Dhurandhar" as fundamentally detached from the historical and social realities of the community.

Mir said he was "deeply disturbed" by multiple scenes in the first part of the film, which prompted him to share his thoughts in an X post when it released on December 5.

"The Baloch are not religious extremists nor do they wage violence in the name of religion or through sectarian slogans," the activist told PTI in an interview.

"I was deeply disturbed by the portrayal of Rehman Baloch, a character played by Akshaye Khanna shown sitting alongside Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, chanting 'Allahu Akbar' during the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Such a depiction was not only misleading but also fundamentally detached from the historical and social realities of the Baloch nation," he added.

Set in the Lyari locality of Karachi, Pakistan, "Dhurandhar" centres on an Indian spy, a RAW operative named Jaskirat Singh Rangi, played by Ranveer, who assumes the alias Hamza Ali Mazari and infiltrates a local criminal syndicate led by Rehman Dakait.

The film follows him as he works to dismantle a terror network targeting India by penetrating Karachi's criminal underworld and political power structures. The storyline draws loose inspiration from real-life events including the 1999 IC-814 hijacking, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, and the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

"Dhurandhar" and its sequel, released in March, have achieved blockbuster success in India.

According to Mir, the portrayal of the Baloch people in the follow-up had seen "significant improvement" from the original that had several sequences far removed from reality and "entirely illogical".

He took objection to the film's suggestion that arms used by the 26/11 terrorists were supplied by a Baloch freedom fighter.

"The freedom fighters associated with the Baloch liberation movement operate under strict discipline, sacrifice, and unwavering principles. They may lay down their lives, but they would never sell their weapons, abandon them on the battlefield, or compromise their cause for personal gain. In reality, Baloch fighters themselves face severe shortages of arms and resources.

"Furthermore, the suggestion that they would (provide) arms to forces hostile to India is entirely illogical and contrary to political realities, as the Baloch people regard India as a long-term friend and strategic partner," he added.

The activist said he was particularly offended by a dialogue uttered by Sanjay Dutt's character, Pakistani police officer SP Aslam Chaudhry, in the movie where Dutt's character compares Baloch people to crocodile.

The dialogue, he said, has "deeply wounded the sentiments of the Baloch people".

"Loyalty, honour, and integrity are among the most sacred foundations of Baloch identity and culture. The Baloch are known for standing by their word even under the harshest circumstances.

"In response, we reminded the world of a famous Balochi saying: 'In Baloch culture, the worth of one bowl of water is a hundred years of loyalty.' This reflects a centuries-old tradition of honour, trust, and unwavering commitment," he added.

Mir welcomed the intervention of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which directed the filmmakers to mute the word "Baloch" in the dialogue following protests by Baloch communities.

In January, the film's team approached the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) seeking approval for the changes, which included muting the words "Baloch" and "intelligence" from the dialogue.

Despite his issues with the film's portrayal of Baloch people, Mir acknowledged that "Dhurandhar" deserved credit for drawing attention to Pakistani state violence against the community.

He said he has also watched the sequel, "Dhurandhar: The Revenge", which released on March 19 and has since become the second-highest-grossing Indian film of all time with a worldwide collection of over Rs 1,837 crore. The first part earned over Rs 1,300 crore.

"Compared to the first part, there has been a significant improvement. No objectionable scenes were included that negatively portrayed the relationship between Balochistan and India or distorted the image of the Baloch national struggle," Mir said.

Produced by Jio Studios and Aditya Dhar's B62 Studios, "Dhurandhar" also featured R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi in pivotal roles.