Filmmaker Aditya Dhar has spoken out against the spread of doctored images from his latest film Dhurandhar: The Revenge. The images falsely show lead actor Ranveer Singh's character wearing a turban while smoking.
Dhar confirmed the images are AI-generated and have no connection to the film or its official promotions. He warned that those responsible will be "dealt with firmly."
What do the fabricated images show?
The manipulated visuals show Ranveer's character Hamza/Jaskirat smoking while wearing a turban. Dhar stated clearly in his Instagram post, "This is completely untrue and does not form part of the film or any official material released by us. It is a deliberate act of misrepresentation intended to provoke and create mischief."
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A Mumbai-based Sikh organisation had earlier objected to these images. They also raised concerns about a scene featuring actor R Madhavan's character reciting verses from Guru Granth Sahib while smoking.
Police complaint and clarifications
The report of Hindustan Times stated a police complaint was filed against the film's makers and Ranveer Singh over the circulated images. Following this, Madhavan clarified on Wednesday that director Aditya Dhar was careful during filming. His character puts out the cigarette before speaking those lines.
Aditya Dhar stated that he holds the highest respect for the Sikh community. He added in his Instagram post, "Every portrayal in the film has been handled with utmost sensitivity, dignity, and responsibility. Any attempt to suggest otherwise through any doctored content is malicious and dishonest."
He urged audiences, "I urge audiences to rely only on official content and watch the film as it is intended, and not fall prey to AI-generated misinformation being circulated with ulterior motives."
Film's box office performance
Dhurandhar: The Revenge released on March 19. It has already crossed ₹900 crore globally, according to industry tracking site Sacnilk. The film is a sequel to Dhar's 2025 release Dhurandhar, which earned over ₹1,000 crore worldwide. The story follows Ranveer's character from his origins as Jaskirat Singh Rangi to becoming an underworld operative named Hamza Ali Mazari.
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Dhurandhar 2 OTT platform confirmed
According to The Economic Times, Dhurandhar: The Revenge will stream on JioHotstar; a shift from the first film, which premiered on Netflix. The platform's name appeared in the film's opening credits itself. Reports suggest the streaming rights were acquired for around ₹150 crore, nearly double the first film's digital deal. An official release date is yet to be announced.
