Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge features Ranveer Singh as Hamza Ali Mazari, a fierce intelligence operative who eliminates threats to the nation with calculated precision. From Major Iqbal, played by Arjun Rampal, to Zahoor Mistry, the film showcases a gripping narrative filled with high-stakes missions. However, what has truly caught attention is how convincingly the film merges fiction with real-life incidents. Several scenes appear so realistic that viewers are questioning whether they are based on actual events. The film’s storytelling blurs the boundary between cinematic liberty and historical truth, sparking debates around authenticity and creative interpretation in modern spy thrillers.
Pinda’s Story: Inspired by a Notorious Criminal but Dramatised for Impact
One of the most emotional arcs in the film revolves around Pinda, whose confrontation with Hamza becomes a defining moment. The character, played by Udaybir Sandhu, is reportedly inspired by Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, a fugitive linked to terror, drugs, and arms smuggling. Known for operating from Pakistan, Rinda was believed to be a key connector between criminal networks and extremist groups. Authorities had even announced a reward for information leading to his capture. While the film portrays Pinda as Hamza’s close friend whose death occurs during a tragic altercation, real-life reports suggest that the man believed to have inspired the character died of a drug overdose in Lahore in 2022, showing a stark contrast between fiction and reality.
SP Chaudhry Aslam’s Killing: Reality Was Equally Shocking but Different
The assassination of SP Chaudhry Aslam is shown in the film as a carefully orchestrated mission involving Hamza and local tribal allies. In reality, Aslam, a senior Pakistani police officer, was killed in January 2014 in Karachi when a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into his convoy on the Lyari Expressway. The blast was devastating, killing multiple officers and leaving behind a scene of destruction. While some reports attributed the attack to extremist organisations such as the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, there were also claims by Pakistan’s military suggesting foreign involvement. However, the film simplifies and dramatizes the event, presenting a version that differs from the complex and disputed reality.
Javed Khanani: From Mysterious Death to Cinematic Assassination
The film’s portrayal of Javed Khanani as the mastermind behind a massive counterfeit currency and hawala network adds another layer of intrigue. In reality, the Khanani network was accused of laundering billions of dollars across global financial centres and allegedly maintained links with criminal syndicates and terror groups. Altaf Khanani was arrested in 2015 and later sentenced in the United States, but his brother Javed’s death in 2016 remains unclear. Reports indicate that he fell from a building in Karachi under mysterious circumstances. In contrast, the film turns this ambiguity into a dramatic killing by Hamza. Interestingly, the counterfeit currency factory shown on screen was filmed inside Lokmat's printing press in Navi Mumbai, adding authenticity to the sequence.
Zahoor Mistry: A Real Incident with Cinematic Enhancement
Drawing from actual events, Dhurandhar 2 also depicts the murder of terrorist Zahoor Mistry (also known as Zahid Akhund). One of the five Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists engaged in the 1999 IC-814 hijacking, Mistry, was allegedly shot and killed in Karachi, as depicted in the movie. On March 1, 2022, he was reportedly shot at close range by unidentified persons on a bike near Akhtar Colony. Mistry used the code name "Doctor" during the Kandahar hijacking, and it is thought that he killed passenger Rupin Katyal. He was operating a furniture company and living under the name Zahid in Pakistan. He was described by Pakistani media as a local businessman, but Rauf Asghar, who attended his funeral, was allegedly connected to terrorist organisations.
Major Iqbal’s End: The Biggest Creative Liberty in the Film
The climax involving Major Iqbal stands out as the most fictionalised part of the film. Inspired by militant leader Ilyas Kashmiri, the movie presents his death as a dramatic, close-combat confrontation with an Indian spy. In reality, Kashmiri was reportedly killed in a US drone strike in South Waziristan in June 2011. Once considered one of the most dangerous militants and even a potential successor to Osama bin Laden, his death was far less personal and dramatic than what is shown on screen. Director Aditya Dhar takes significant creative liberties here, transforming a distant military operation into an intense face-off to deliver a powerful cinematic climax.