Web desk: The Sindh government has announced the release of a new film, Mera Lyari, on Saturday. This is in response to the Indian movie Dhurandhar.
The Indian movie has faced criticism for its negative portrayal of Pakistan and the Lyari area.
Lyari’s true image
Senior Provincial Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon said the Bollywood film is part of a broader conspiracy against Pakistan. Particularly targeting Lyari.
He wrote on the social media platform X that Lyari is not violence but culture, peace, talent, and resilience.
He added that Mera Lyari, set to release next month, will show the city’s real face. It will highlight peace, prosperity, and pride.
Memon said Dhurandhar misrepresents Lyari, which he described as a symbol of cultural richness and social harmony.
The Sindhi-language film aims to present the city’s reality to both local and international audiences.
What is Mera Lyari about?
Mera Lyari is a film announced to showcase the true culture and identity of Lyari.
The movie aims to highlight the area’s peace, talent, resilience, and community pride.
It aims to counter the negative portrayal of Lyari in the Indian film Dhurandhar.
Additionally, it is intended to present the city as a hub of culture and harmony to both local and international audiences.
Indian movie Dhurandhar is yet another example of negative propaganda by the Indian film industry against Pakistan, especially targeting Lyari. Lyari is not violence—it is culture, peace, talent, and resilience. Next month Mera Lyari will release, showing the true face of Lyari:… pic.twitter.com/v2FsVMfWsB
— Sharjeel Inam Memon (@sharjeelinam) December 13, 2025
When will Mera Lyari release?
According to Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, Mera Lyari is scheduled to be released next month. It is expected to be released in January 2026.
Legal petition against Dhurandhar
A constitutional petition was filed in a Karachi court against Dhurandhar for the unauthorised use of images of the late Benazir Bhutto, the Pakistan Peoples Party flag, and party rally footage in its trailer.
The petition also accuses the film of portraying the PPP as supportive of terrorists.
The petition was filed by PPP activist Muhammad Amir in the District and Sessions Court (South) in Karachi.
It seeks an FIR against the film’s director, producers, actors, and other staff involved in creating and promoting the movie.
The petition names director Aditya Dhar, producers Lokesh Dhar and Jyoti Kishore Deshpande, and actors Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Beni.
Cinematographer Vikash Nolcha, editor Shiv Kumar V Panicker, and other crew members are also listed.
According to the petition, the trailer includes visuals of the late former prime minister and PPP symbols without permission.
It alleges that the film portrays the PPP as sympathetic to terrorists and labels Lyari as a “terrorist war zone,” which the petitioner says is defamatory and harmful to Pakistan’s reputation.
Backlash
Dhurandhar has triggered strong backlash since its release for portraying Lyari as a war zone.
The film features Ranveer Singh as a RAW agent and Arjun Rampal as a Pakistani intelligence officer.
Dhurandhar gets banned
The movie has not been granted release permission in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, or the UAE.
Authorities in these states reportedly withheld approval due to its portrayal of Pakistan, and similar films have faced bans in the past.
Minister’s response
On X, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon reiterated that Mera Lyari will highlight the true culture, peace, and positive identity of the area.
He said the film will present Lyari as a hub of culture, resilience, and harmony, countering the negative and misleading portrayal in the Indian production.
