Our Bureau
Karachi
Karachi’s Rainbow Centre, long known as a hub for unofficial gaming and media, has become the unlikely afterlife of Ranveer Singh’s spy thriller Dhurandhar. Despite an official ban on Indian films in Pakistan, pirated copies of the Aditya Dhar‑directed blockbuster are being sold openly on the streets for as little as PKR 50 (about ₹16), a New Zealand‑based travel vlogger has revealed in a viral video.
In a roughly 30‑minute vlog exploring Karachi’s underground entertainment economy, YouTuber Karl Rock is seen browsing shops in Saddar Bazaar when he spots a desktop display of Dhurandhar’s poster. The shopkeeper confirms it is a “new movie from India” and casually quotes PKR 50 for a USB copy, with DVDs priced higher at around PKR 300. Rock, visibly surprised, remarks that Indian films are banned in Pakistan yet this one is not only available but being hawked in bulk.
The discovery has reignited debate over the gap between policy and public appetite. Dhurandhar, which was earlier banned in parts of the Gulf and Pakistan over its political content, has already earned over ₹1,300 crore worldwide and topped OTT charts in 22 countries. Yet piracy figures from Pakistan reportedly show it was illegally downloaded over two million times within two weeks of release, making it one of the most‑pirated films in the country.
For the film’s producers, the Karachi‑market clip is a stark reminder that bans may curb theatrical runs but rarely kill demand. As fans across the border continue to seek out the “forbidden” thriller, the episode underlines how digital‑era fandom often outpaces regulation, turning a censored film into a black‑market staple.
