Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar’ Sparks Outrage After Pakistani Flag Seen During Ludhiana Shoot

Bollywood is once again at the center of controversy after a behind-the-scenes video from Ranveer Singh’s upcoming film Dhurandhar went viral, showing a Pakistani flag prominently displayed during a shoot in Ludhiana, Punjab. The scene, reportedly set in a Pakistani village, instantly triggered a storm on social media with netizens questioning the patriotism of the filmmakers and slamming the use of Pakistani symbols on Indian soil.

In the viral footage, Ranveer Singh is seen in a rugged avatar filming atop a building, with the green crescent-and-star flag of Pakistan fluttering in the background. Though the film is set against a cross-border spy narrative and aims to depict realism, the presence of the flag was enough to spark nationalist outrage online. Comments flooded in asking why a Pakistani flag was being hoisted in India and questioning whether the production team had received permission.

What was meant to be a cinematic recreation has now snowballed into a national debate over patriotism, censorship, and the fine line between artistic representation and perceived disrespect. Many critics argue that Bollywood is treading dangerously close to normalizing enemy symbols, even in fictional contexts. On the other hand, filmmakers and industry insiders defend the move as a standard cinematic tool to establish narrative setting.

Supporters of the film point out that using the Pakistani flag in a fictional story about espionage is essential for authenticity. However, detractors say such visuals disrespect national sentiment and could have been handled with more sensitivity—especially in today’s hyper-nationalist climate.

What adds more fuel to the fire is the backdrop of recent controversies, including the backlash against Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh for collaborating with a Pakistani actress. The same crowd now demands accountability from the Dhurandhar team, accusing Bollywood of being out of touch with national values.

The outrage underscores a growing trend in India where even symbolic representations are no longer safe from politicization. While Dhurandhar aims to be a gritty, realistic take on covert operations, the early backlash may force the makers to reconsider how far realism can go before it becomes “anti-national” in the eyes of the public.

This incident raises a critical question: Is Bollywood free to portray its stories as they are, or is it now answerable to a nation that often confuses fiction with disrespect?

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