Delhi High Court Directs CBFC to Address Major Mohit Sharma’s Family Concerns Before Certifying Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar

The release of Bollywood star Ranveer Singh’s anticipated film, Dhurandhar, scheduled for this Friday, December 5, faces uncertainty after the Delhi High Court (HC) issued a crucial directive to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The court has instructed the CBFC to actively examine and address the strong objections raised by the parents of the late decorated war hero, Major Mohit Sharma, Ashoka Chakra (posthumous), before granting the film any certification.

The HC’s intervention came after the Major’s parents filed a petition seeking an immediate stay on the film’s release. During proceedings before a bench led by Justice Sachin Datta, the CBFC’s counsel informed the court that the film had not yet been certified, meaning its December 5 release date is now in jeopardy pending the review.

The core of the family’s objection is that Dhurandhar is widely perceived as a depiction of their son’s life, his covert operations, persona, and ultimate martyrdom. They argue that the film was produced without their consent and lacks the necessary approvals from the Indian Army.

In their petition, the parents assert that unauthorized portrayal of a decorated martyr constitutes a severe violation of their fundamental rights. They contend that the commercial exploitation, fictionalization, or distortion of their son’s legacy—without the informed consent of his immediate family—violates their right to privacy, dignity, and reputation, as well as the posthumous personality rights of the martyr under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The petition stresses that the legal rights related to dignity and reputation continue to subsist even after an individual’s death.

While the petition seeks to halt the film’s release, the counsel representing the film’s producers maintained in court that Dhurandhar is a work of pure fiction and is not based on the life of Major Mohit Sharma. The film is officially set against the backdrop of the notorious Lyari gang wars in the Pakistani town of Lyari, presenting a semi-fictionalized account of the decade-long conflict that began in 2009.

Despite the producers’ assertion of fictionality, the High Court’s directive ensures that the family’s sensitive and serious concerns regarding the portrayal of a national hero cannot be dismissed lightly. The CBFC must now specifically consider these objections as a prerequisite to deciding on the film’s certification status. This move places the certification process squarely within the context of balancing cinematic artistic freedom against the personal and constitutional rights protecting the dignity and legacy of martyred armed forces personnel.