IMPPA urges PM Modi to intervene after Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar was banned in several Middle Eastern countries despite CBFC clearance.

The Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), a group of filmmakers from India’s diverse film sectors, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding government action in the Middle Eastern ban on the film Dhurandhar. The film, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, was not released in various Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, or Saudi Arabia.

In their letter, IMPPA described the prohibition as “unilateral and uncalled for,” claiming that it violates Dhurandhar’s manufacturers’ freedom of expression.

“We respectfully request that you intervene in the unilateral and unjustified ban imposed on the film ‘Dhurandhar’ by the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. Our member producer made this film and released it after receiving certification from the Central Board of Film Certification, and the ban imposed by the above countries violates our member’s Freedom of Expression, as the film has become one of the biggest hits in Indian cinema,” read the letter.

Dhurandhar received an A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) before its December release. It has now become one of the biggest hits in Indian cinema history, with the highest-grossing Hindi film in India.

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The IMPPA urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government to intervene in the case to assist lift the ban. “We, as representatives of the largest and oldest Producers’ Association, IMPPA, respectfully request that you intervene, as the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia are India-friendly nations with which we engage frequent business in a variety of sectors. We thus sincerely request that the Government of India take up this matter with the relevant authorities in these nations and work to ensure that freedom of expression is protected and the restriction be lifted as soon as possible,” the letter, signed by IMPPA President Abhay Sinha, stated.
About Dhurandhar.

Dhurandhar, a spy thriller, also features Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and R Madhavan. The film made ₹1230 crore globally, making it the fourth-highest-grossing Indian film of all time. Dhurandhar is the first Bollywood film to make ₹800 crore net in India, establishing a new standard for the industry. The film will be a two-part franchise, with the sequel set to be released during Eid in 2026.