The Indian actor Hrithik Roshan, known for his role in the jingoistic blockbuster 'Fighter', has sparked a moment of reflection with his Instagram post about 'Dhurandhar'. The film, directed by Siddharth Anand, delves into the Karachi gang wars and has been criticized for its portrayal of Pakistan as a monolithic terrorist state, a trope that has become both commercially viable and politically convenient in Modi's India. Roshan's post, while praising the film's cinematic craft, also acknowledges his disagreement with the film's politics and the responsibilities filmmakers should bear as citizens of the world. This reflection comes at a particularly volatile moment in the relations between Pakistan and India, with the two nuclear-armed neighbors narrowly avoiding escalation in May after an attack in India-occupied Kashmir. The film's release has been criticized for reinforcing stereotypes of Pakistani violence, which can be seen as tinder for a flame that has been growing for years. Roshan's post raises questions about the industry's creative choices and political alignments, and whether he has genuinely developed a more critical eye toward the politics embedded in his own industry's storytelling. Without a clearer stance, it remains to be seen if Roshan's musings on 'Dhurandhar' will prompt introspection or simply a diplomatic balancing act.
