The official ban imposed by Pakistan on the Bollywood blockbuster Dhurandhar has spectacularly backfired, turning the film into an unprecedented cultural phenomenon across the border. In a striking display of this contradiction, a video showing Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto making a grand entry to the film's viral track FA9LA has set social media ablaze. This occurs even as his own party has legally challenged the film in court.
The Bhutto Paradox: Legal Challenge vs. Viral Celebration
The now-viral clip, which circulated on X (formerly Twitter) on December 17, 2025, captures a moment of stark irony. Bilawal Bhutto is seen being welcomed on stage at a political gathering while the electrifying beats of FA9LA from the banned Indian film play loudly in the background. The song, picturized on Akshaye Khanna's character Rehman Dakait at a Baloch wedding, has become a massive hit, with Khanna receiving immense praise for his performance.
This public celebration stands in direct contrast to the official stance of Bhutto's PPP. The party has filed a petition in a Karachi court against Dhurandhar, specifically questioning the use of images of the late former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The legal plea seeks the registration of an FIR against the film's cast and crew, creating a complex narrative where political opposition coexists with popular cultural consumption.
Record-Breaking Piracy: A Ban That Fueled Demand
If the Bhutto video highlighted cultural hypocrisy, data on piracy reveals the sheer scale of public demand. According to reports from IANS, within just two weeks of its release, Dhurandhar has been illegally downloaded over 2 million times in Pakistan despite the government prohibition. This staggering number has cemented the film's status as the most pirated movie ever in Pakistan's history, surpassing previous record-holders like Rajinikanth's 2.0 and Shah Rukh Khan's Raees.
The Aditya Dhar-directed film, a two-part gangster action saga, stars Ranveer Singh as an Indian agent infiltrating Pakistan's underworld, which is depicted as being supported by the ISI. The ensemble cast includes Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, and Rakesh Bedi. The second part is scheduled for an Eid 2026 release.
Casting the Kingpin: How Akshaye Khanna Came Aboard
The character at the heart of the viral song, Rehman Dakait, was a crucial casting decision. In an exclusive conversation, renowned casting director Mukesh Chhabra revealed the process behind bringing Akshaye Khanna on board. "We jotted down lots of names for his role and then we went about shortlisting, where we zeroed in on his name," Chhabra stated. He highlighted Khanna's immediate and enthusiastic connection to the part after a solo narration: "He looked at me and I looked at him and he said, 'Loved it, maza aa gaya yaar'."
The saga of Dhurandhar in Pakistan underscores a recurring theme: in the digital age, cultural content is increasingly borderless. Official bans often fail to curb curiosity and can, as in this case, amplify interest to record levels. The juxtaposition of a political leader walking into a rally with a banned film's anthem, while his party attempts to legally block it, perfectly encapsulates the complex and often contradictory relationship between politics, prohibition, and popular entertainment in the region.
