‘Dhurandhar’ returns to screens with muted words, minor edits

Select dialogues in Dhurandhar, one of Hindi cinema’s biggest earners, are now being played with certain words muted after the filmmakers chose to make post-release edits. Officials said there was no directive from the Information and Broadcasting ministry, and the decision was taken independently by Aditya Dhar Films.

The producers approached the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to mute specific words, including “Baloch” and “intelligence”, after they were flagged as offensive by some communities. The edits were cleared under Rule 31 of the Cinematograph Act, which permits changes to an already certified film as long as the overall meaning of the scene remains unchanged.

Starring Ranveer Singh, the spy action film has earned over Rs 700 crore at the domestic box office and crossed Rs 1,000 crore globally. Released on December 5, it is set in Pakistan’s Lyari neighbourhood and follows an Indian spy who infiltrates a local criminal network involved in arms trafficking.

On Friday, the film was declared tax-free in Ladakh. Announcing the decision on X, the office of Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta said the film was shot extensively in the region and highlighted Ladakh’s cinematic potential to attract filmmakers and tourists.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film also stars Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt and R Madhavan. The second part of the franchise is scheduled for release in March this year.