Ananya Lohia , Mumbai - Months after becoming a massive box office success, the Dhurandhar franchise continues to spark debate over its portrayal of Karachi’s Lyari neighbourhood. Now, Pakistani journalist and former Karachi mayor Arif Aajakia has come out in support of the films, claiming that the events and atmosphere shown on screen closely reflected the reality he witnessed while growing up in the area.

Speaking during a conversation with journalist Saurabh Dwivedi at Talk Journalism 2026, Aajakia shared his personal connection to Lyari and Karachi’s political landscape. A video from the interaction, shared by ANI, quickly went viral on social media and reignited discussions surrounding the franchise’s depiction of organised crime and underworld networks in Pakistan. “I was the mayor of a town in Karachi, elected mayor during the period when Dhurandhar was done. I was born and raised in Lyari, so I knew that everything shown was true,” Aajakia said. He also revealed that his parents were originally from Junagadh, Gujarat, adding, “I consider myself to be of Indian origin, not Pakistani.”

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the Dhurandhar franchise uses Karachi’s Lyari neighbourhood as a major backdrop for its espionage-driven storyline. The films follow undercover Indian intelligence officer Jaskirat Singh Rangi, played by Ranveer Singh, who enters Pakistan under the identity of Hamza Ali Mazari to expose terror networks and criminal syndicates operating across borders. While the first instalment explored Lyari’s underworld and covert operations, Dhurandhar: The Revenge expanded the narrative further with larger terror links and dangerous criminal alliances. The franchise also stars R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Gaurav Gera, Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun, Danish Pandor, Udaybir Sandhu and Manav Gohil in key roles.

Aajakia’s remarks have added a new dimension to the ongoing debate around the Dhurandhar franchise, with his statements drawing fresh attention to the films’ portrayal of Lyari and Karachi’s troubled history. His support has once again fuelled conversations on how cinema interprets real-life political and criminal realities on screen.