Controversy increases over character like Atif Ahmed in ‘Dhurandhar 2’: Political allegations and counter-allegations intensify, film’s director Aditya Dhar surrounded for showing ISI connection

After the release of the film Dhurandhar 2 in theatres, a new controversy is emerging rapidly. The center of controversy is the character allegedly inspired by Atiq Ahmed, who is shown in the film as Atif Ahmed. This has sparked a heated debate among political parties, social groups and audiences. Meanwhile, criticism, support and social media reactions have transformed the film from entertainment to a political debate. Following the release of the film, several news channels and reports claimed that Atif Ahmed’s character appears to be inspired by notorious Uttar Pradesh gangster‑politician Atiq Ahmed and also allegedly refers to intelligence agency connections, leading to a political controversy. Many leaders have termed the ISI-connected elements shown in the film as wrong and provoking sensitive issues. Samajwadi Party leader S.T. Hassan has accused the film of spreading tension and creating hatred in the society, and also said that such films can send a wrong message to the audience. On the other hand, SP MLA Abu Azmi called the film even a Pakistani film. He raised the question why this topic was raised in India. His statement further fueled the controversy. Opposition parties have even called this film political propaganda. Congress and AIMIM leaders alleged that the film’s plot appears to benefit existing political factions, and it seeks to influence the political environment, NDTV reported. Due to which confusion can spread between the public and the government. At the same time, some supporting leaders believe that the part shown in the film is a perspective of reality and should be understood as a creation of entertainment and cinema. For example, Bihar Agriculture Minister Ram Kripal Yadav said that showing the truth should not be wrong. His statement advocates giving creative freedom to filmmakers. Director Aditya Dhar’s stance While the controversy has reached political circles, the film’s director Aditya Dhar has not publicly given any long statement on the issue. Instead, he expressed his gratitude for the film’s success and audience response on Twitter/social media, saying that he was grateful to see the love for the film and also thanked his team and cast. At the analytical level, it is understood that Aditya Dhar and team have kept their film in a thriller‑spy genre, which includes some elements inspired by real events, but the film is meant to be taken as an entertaining narrative rather than an accurate historical document. Social Media and Audience Reaction Mixed reactions are being seen on social media. Some viewers say that the film gives entertainment and thrill to the audience and the political points made in it are part of cinema. Some users have directly stated that some of the dialogue or storylines appear to be propaganda, especially when considering that political factions have been shown to be linked to internal issues that they consider inaccurate or exaggerated. One user in the Reddit discussion wrote that the political tone of the film is a bit overt and some events appear to be extrapolated, leading people to read it as having a political agenda. On the other hand, some social media comments say that this is all just a movie and people should take it from an entertainment perspective and not see it as a political protest or propaganda. Analysis: What is truth and what is film vision? Amidst the increasing controversy and criticism over the past few days, it is clear that ‘Dhurandhar 2’ has raised political questions above entertainment. Be it on the basis of name association, the political undertones of the plot, or in terms of incorporating elements inspired by real life into the story. Analysts say the filmmakers have used historical events, intelligence elements and political twists to create a thriller, as has been done in many spy films around the world. It is not necessary that everything shown in the film is a direct reflection of reality, but it can be a combination and part of cinematic drama. Although the controversy is going on very fast and it has turned into a political debate due to the sharp statements of some leaders, the audience’s reaction towards the film is mixed. Some consider it a representation of entertainment and nationalism, while others consider it to convey a political message. Both the streams are surfacing on social media and news platforms, due to which the controversy is deepening.



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