The geopolitical chasm looks like it has found its match in heady cinema. 'Dhurandhar,' India’s recent action, is now the #1 trending Netflix Pakistan title as of 2 February 2026. Analysts in the industry were shocked to learn that the film had not received a certificate of theatre from the Pakistan Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) earlier this year. The film’s overnight spike in popularity across the border illustrates that the OTT platforms era means content truly knows no borders.
The “Dhurandhar” Mania in Pakistan
The global digital premiere of the movie on Sunday has only ramped up the flow of clips and reviews since, on Pakistan’s popular social media platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok. There is trending hashtag #DhurandharOnNetflix among the major cities of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad
What's even more remarkable is the type of praise. Many Pakistani cinephiles are coming to the internet to extol their praise, with a viral post saying:
“We could have liked to see it on record in theaters, but binge-watching it on Netflix made it an experience. Dhurandhar is probably the finest Bollywood movie of all time – the scale, the emotions, the performances, it just does not compare."
Why the Theatrical Ban?
Although the cited reasons for the theater’s ban were "technical and narrative discrepancies," insiders say the film’s violent themes and some high-stakes political slants prompted the censors’ prudence. But the ban seemed to have ended up doing the opposite, merely increasing the interest and "forbidden fruit" appeal of the film among Pakistani viewers.
The Power of the Top 10 Internationally?
Netflix’s “Top 10” list is an immediate mirror on what a country is watching and “Dhurandhar” managed to pull off the removal of several popular Turkish dramas and local content to the top. The 'Soft Power' of Indian cinema industry experts see this moment as groundbreaking." If a film that was banned in the theaters became, in fact, the most-watched production in that same area, this underscores the changing game of film distribution,” says Rahul Sharma, a media analyst.
A Story That Resonates
But the film is a story of resilience, of justice the themes that hold up to the test to the very eyes of all, and that resonates with people on every subject. The performances by its lead players are outstanding, the technical execution is Hollywood-level, and the entire cultural gap is narrowed, as this film is here to stay and, no less important, for everyone. Though official diplomatic channels remain silent, the net has written a verdict and won “Dhurandhar” over: It was a winner.
