Indian audiences are now watching a revised and censored version of the 2026 spy thriller Dhurandhar after filmmakers edited and muted certain dialogue in response to objections from members of the Baloch community.
According to Indian media reports, the changes were made after some lines were criticised as offensive toward the Baloch Makrani community. Specifically, one dialogue was altered, and two specific words, one referring to the community, were muted in the updated theatrical cut.
The controversy emerged shortly after the film’s release, when members of the Baloch Makrani community in Junagadh, Gujarat, staged protests. Sanjay Dutt delivered the disputed line, which drew strong criticism for perceived stereotyping.
BIG BREAKING NEWS 🚨 I&B ministry orders edits to Dhurandhar.
Government directed muting of certain words, including removal of the term “Baloch” from dialogues.
Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar to hit theatres again from January 1, 2026 with an edited version.
Film has earned Rs… pic.twitter.com/pJNgtM6q0Q
— News Algebra (@NewsAlgebraIND) January 1, 2026Ijaz Makrani, president of the Junagadh Baloch Makrani Society and a practising lawyer, filed a police complaint seeking legal action against the actor, the dialogue writer, and the director. Separately, Nabil Baloch sent legal notices to director Aditya Dhar and Sanjay Dutt. He demanded the removal of the dialogue and a public apology.
The matter was also raised before the Gujarat High Court. During a hearing last week, Justice A. P. Mai questioned the petitioners about how the dialogue constituted defamation of the Baloch Makrani community, according to local press reports.
Read: Dhurandhar Breaks All Records to Become India’s Highest-Grossing Hindi Film
Following these developments, distributors released an updated version of Dharendra in cinemas across India. Additionally, they issued a new digital cinema package (DCP) to theatres nationwide.
Despite the controversy, the film’s commercial performance has remained strong. Indian media reports say Dhurandhar has earned approximately ₹7.4 billion within 29 days of release. This makes it one of the highest-grossing Hindi films to date.
Film analysts note that the movie’s sustained box-office success reflects ongoing audience appetite for large-scale spy thrillers. At the same time, the episode has also reignited debate around creative responsibility, censorship, and representation in mainstream Bollywood cinema.
