A stay on Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar demanded by Major Mohit Sharma’s parents: ‘Not a commercial commodity’

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They gave the example of the trailer and promotional material, which seemingly mirror Major Sharma’s life and, most importantly, his covert missions in Kashmir. They added that many media reports and online forums have tied the film with their son, and yet the makers have not reached out to them in order to clarify or ask for permission. The petition also read that Major Sharma is not a commercial commodity, and his life story cannot be altered for the sake of profit without maintaining truth and dignity.

Apart from arguing that the film is a violation of Major Sharma’s posthumous rights, the petition also states that the film is mimicking tactics, strategies and procedures of the Army. They claimed that the makers never sought any permission from the Indian Army or screened the film in front of the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI), the body responsible for deciding how the Indian Army is portrayed in the media. The respondents named in the petition include the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Central Board of Film Certification, the ADGPI, Aditya Dhar, and Jio Studios, who are producing the project.

Aditya Dhar says Dhurandhar not based on Mohit Sharma’s life

Dhar addressed the rumours that the film was based on Major Sharma, who infiltrated the Hizbul Mujahideen, when Major Sharma’s brother tagged him on X (formerly Twitter). He asked the director to clarify, and Dhar made it clear that the film was not in fact based on his brother’s life.

He wrote, “Hi, sir – Our film Dhurandhar is not based on the life of braveheart Major Mohit Sharma AC(P) SM. This is an official clarification. I assure you, if we do make a biopic on Mohit Sir in the future, we will do it with full consent and in complete consultation with the family, and in a way that truly honours his sacrifice for the nation and the legacy it has left for all of us.”

The Delhi HC is yet to announce a date when the matter will be discussed. Moreover, the parents of Major Sharma have demanded that the court make it clear that any type of media that portrays the Indian Army should first seek permission from the ADGPI and only move forward once given the approval to do so.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film’s cast includes Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, and Sara Arjun.