Dhurandhar: has Bollywood lifted Maj. Mohit Sharma’s story without consent?

WEB DESK: Indian filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s upcoming action drama Dhurandhar has run into controversy, with growing speculation that the film may be drawing heavily, and without permission, from the life of the late Major Mohit Sharma, one of the Army’s most decorated officers.

Since the trailer’s release, online discussions and media reports have highlighted striking parallels between the movie’s plot and Major Sharma’s covert work in Kashmir. His parents have now moved court, urging that the release be halted until the matter is examined. They argue that the film appears to recreate episodes from their son’s service, yet the filmmakers never consulted the family nor sought their approval.

According to the petition, the resemblance is troubling enough to suggest that Major Sharma’s story may have been used as creative material, raising fears that his missions and legacy are being repackaged for commercial gain. The family says their son’s life “is not a commodity” and that any portrayal must be handled with accuracy, respect and transparency, none of which, they claim, has occurred.

The plea further alleges that some sequences in Dhurandhar echo operational methods and tactics used by the Indian Army, prompting concerns about whether sensitive information has been dramatised without oversight. The petition also notes that the makers did not seek clearance from the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI), the body responsible for representations of the military in public media.

The case lists the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the censor board, the ADGPI, director Aditya Dhar and Jio Studios as respondents.

Dhar, meanwhile, has publicly denied that the film is based on Major Sharma’s life, saying any future biopic would only be made with full consent of the family.

Dhurandhar, featuring Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan and others, is scheduled for release on December 5.