Mumbai: Amid debate over the portrayal of Lyari in ‘Dhurandhar’, former Karachi mayor Arif Aajakia has come out in support of the film.
Defending its depiction, he said that “everything shown was true” and reflected the reality of the area.
During a conversation with journalist Saurabh Dwivedi at Talk Journalism 2026, Aajakia said, “I was the mayor of a town in Karachi, elected mayor during the period when Dhurandhar was done. I was born and raised in Lyari, so I knew that everything shown was true.”
Speaking about his family roots, he added, “I was born in Karachi, but my parents were born in Junagadh, Gujarat. I consider myself to be of Indian origin, not Pakistani.”
A video of the interaction, shared by ANI, went viral on social media and reignited discussions about the film’s depiction of Lyari and Karachi’s underworld.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the ‘Dhurandhar’ franchise is set against the backdrop of Karachi’s Lyari neighbourhood, which serves as a key setting in its high-stakes espionage story.
Known for its history of gang rivalries, organised crime and political unrest, Lyari plays a significant role in shaping both the narrative and its characters.
The franchise is centred on Jaskirat Singh Rangi, played by Ranveer Singh, an undercover Indian intelligence operative who enters Pakistan under the alias Hamza Ali Mazari.
As he moves through dangerous criminal syndicates and covert terror networks, he is drawn into a volatile world marked by shifting allegiances and constant danger.
While the first film introduced audiences to Lyari’s underworld and the covert operations unfolding within it, ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ expands the scale of the conflict.
The sequel follows Hamza’s deeper penetration into the region’s criminal landscape as he attempts to uncover and wipe out larger cross-border terror networks.
Besides Ranveer, the franchise features R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Gaurav Gera, Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun, Danish Pandor, Udaybir Sandhu and Manav Gohil in key roles.