Ranveer Singh-starrer 'Dhurandhar' faces lawsuit; war hero’s family moves court to halt distribution

The family of late Major Mohit Sharma has moved the Delhi High Court to halt the distribution of Bollywood film Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh and directed by Aditya Dhar.

The family claimed that the producers strongly referenced the soldier's life and covert activities without obtaining any consent.

According to Bar and Bench, Major Sharma's parents, Sushila Sharma, Rajendra Prasad Sharma, submitted the appeal, claiming that Dhurandhar was "directly inspired" by their late son's life narrative,

covert operations, and ultimate sacrifice.

The petition stated that the story, military setting, character design, and trailer "unmistakably mirror" actual events from the Ashoka Chakra and Sena Medal awardee’s career, including counter-terrorism operations in Kashmir.

How Aditya Dhar Responded

In reaction to the growing rumours that Dhurandhar is based on the real-life Indian Major, director Aditya Dhar publicly clarified that the film is a work of fiction and is "not based on the life" of Major Sharma.

If the filmmakers ever made a biopic on the deceased officer, they would only do it with his family's complete approval and in a way that respected his sacrifice, he said.

“Our film Dhurandhar is not based on the life of braveheart Major Mohit Sharma AC(P) SM … 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,” Dhar explained.

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,…

— Aditya Dhar (@AdityaDharFilms) November 26, 2025

The family maintained that the film’s distribution without their permission, or that of the Indian Army’s, violated their legal rights. They contended that a martyr should not be treated as a "commercial commodity" and that the memory of his sacrifice is undermined when his life narrative is recreated without truth, dignity, or required authorisation.

The petition also expressed grave concerns about national security, pointing out that Dhurandhar allegedly shows delicate "military tactics, infiltration strategies, and operational procedures" content that should need approval from the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) and proper screening before release.

The respondents listed in the petition include the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), ADGPI, the Indian Army, director and co-producer Aditya Dhar, producer Jio Studios and its chairman.

In order to provide temporary relief, the family has asked the court to postpone the release of Dhurandhar, order a private screening for them prior to public release, and mandate that any future movie that portrays a real-life military martyr must first receive permission from the army and the martyr's legal heirs.

The controversy arrives days before Dhurandhar’s scheduled theatrical release on December 5. The film also stars Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, and Sara Arjun.

Major Mohit Sharma of the Indian Army's Para Special Forces Regiment was killed in 2009 while fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.

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