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‘Objectionable words muted’: ‘Dhurandhar’ filmmakers tell Gujarat HC in response to petition by Baloch community

In an earlier hearing on December 24, the Gujarat HC had orally sought to know how the petitioners had been prejudiced due to the dialogue, as the ‘Dhurandhar’ film was set in a region outside India.

3 min readAhmedabadJan 10, 2026 02:39 PM IST

The petitioners also submitted that the film’s visuals and words referring to the community are “anti-caste and racial”.

The Gujarat High Court Friday disposed of a petition that sought directions to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the filmmakers to remove a contentious dialogue from the Dhurandhar movie after the filmmakers made a submission in court that the objectionable words had already been muted.

The petition was filed by two members of the Baloch community – Yasin Allarakha Baloch and Ayub Balekhan Baloch – who raised objections to a dialogue delivered in the film by a policeman character played by actor Sanjay Dutt. The petitioners contended that the dialogue, which makes reference to their community, had been spoken in a “derogatory and contemptuous manner” and hurt the sentiments while “showing the community in a poor light and also defaming the community.”

The petitioners also submitted that the film’s visuals and words referring to the community are “anti-caste and racial”.

The oral order of the Gujarat HC noted the submission of Advocate Salil Thakore, who appeared for filmmaker Aditya Dhar as well as Jio Studios and B62 Studios Pvt Ltd, that the filmmakers had already muted two objectionable words under the rules of the Cinematograph Act, which allows the producers to edit a movie already certified by an authority.

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The oral order of the court states, “(The) advocate for the respondents (Aditya Dhar as well as Jio Studios and B62 Studios Pvt Ltd) makes a statement that the word which is objected to by the petitioners herein has already been muted. Therefore, no grievance survives in the present writ petition now.”

The court order noted that the counsel appearing for the petitioners “does not dispute” the submission of the respondents. “In view thereof, the present writ petition is rendered infructuous. Disposed of accordingly,” the oral order of the HC states.

In an earlier hearing on December 24, the court had orally sought to know how the petitioners had been prejudiced due to the dialogue, as the film was set in a region outside India and asked the petitioners to “substantiate” the grievance contended in the petition.

Aditi Raja

Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More