Dhurandhar finds support from ex-Karachi mayor Arif Aajakia on Lyari portrayal: ‘Everything shown was true’

MOnths after dominating the package power, Ranveer Singh-led Dhurandhar and its subsequence, Dhurandhar: The avenge, persist in to find themselves at the centre of public debate. Now, the conversation has taken an interesting turn, with Pakistani journalist and former Karachi mayor Arif Aajakia coming out in support of the films. Drawing from his own experiences of growing up in Lyari, Aajakia said the world depicted on screen closely mirrored the realities he had witnessed firsthand.Arif Aajakia’s comments go viralThe ongoing debate surrounding Dhurandhar's depiction of Karachi's Lyari neighbourhood has now received support from an unexpected quarter. Pakistani journalist and former Karachi mayor Arif Aajakia has come out in defence of the franchise, stating that much of what was shown on screen closely mirrored the realities he witnessed while growing up in the area.Aajakia made the remarks during a conversation with journalist Saurabh Dwivedi at Talk Journalism 2026. A video from the interaction, shared by ANI, quickly went viral on social media, sparking fresh discussions around the film's portrayal of Lyari and Karachi's underworld networks.Drawing from both his personal experiences and political background, Aajakia said, “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."He also spoke about his family roots during the conversation, adding, “I was born in Karachi, but my parents were born in Junagadh, Gujarat. I consider myself to be of Indian origin, not Pakistani.” The story behind the Dhurandhar franchiseDirected by Aditya Dhar, the Dhurandhar franchise uses Karachi’s Lyari neighbourhood as a major backdrop for its high-stakes espionage narrative. Known for its history involving gang wars, organised crime and political tensions, Lyari plays a crucial role in shaping the story and its characters.The franchise follows Jaskirat Singh Rangi, portrayed by Ranveer Singh, an undercover Indian intelligence officer who crosses into Pakistan under the identity of Hamza Ali Mazari. As he navigates dangerous criminal networks and hidden terror operations, he finds himself caught in a world where loyalties constantly shift and survival comes at a price. While the first film introduced viewers to Lyari’s underworld and the covert operations unfolding behind the scenes, Dhurandhar: The Revenge raised the stakes further. The sequel follows Hamza’s deeper infiltration into the region’s criminal ecosystem as he works to expose and dismantle larger terror networks with cross-border links.Alongside Ranveer Singh, the franchise features a strong ensemble cast including R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Gaurav Gera, Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun, Danish Pandor, Udaybir Sandhu and Manav Gohil.