Ira Bhaskar Criticises Film Dhurandhar for Portrayal of Muslims and Pakistan

Film scholar Ira Bhaskar has criticised the Bollywood film Dhurandhar for what she described as a violent and stereotypical portrayal of Muslims and Pakistan. Bhaskar, who is also the mother of actor Swara Bhaskar, raised these concerns during a discussion on contemporary Indian cinema and politics.

The conversation was hosted by activist and writer Harsh Mander on his YouTube platform Karwan-e-Mohabbat, where Bhaskar spoke about the increasing political messaging in popular Hindi films. She acknowledged that the movie has achieved significant commercial success but argued that its narrative reinforces harmful stereotypes.

According to Bhaskar, the film largely depicts Muslim characters as violent figures, often associating them with terrorism or criminal activities. She said such portrayals create a narrow and negative image of an entire community, while failing to show ordinary or nuanced Muslim characters. In her view, the representation contributes to reinforcing prejudices rather than encouraging balanced storytelling.

Bhaskar also discussed the broader relationship between cinema and ideology. She questioned whether it is possible to separate filmmaking techniques from the political messages embedded within a film’s narrative. While acknowledging that the movie is technically well made and directed by Aditya Dhar, she argued that storytelling choices still reflect particular ideological viewpoints.

The discussion also explored the challenges faced by films that attempt to present alternative perspectives or address sensitive social issues. Participants highlighted how representation of communities such as Muslims and Dalits in mainstream cinema often remains limited or stereotyped. Bhaskar’s remarks have sparked further debate about the political narratives shaping contemporary Bollywood and the role of cinema in influencing public perceptions.