Arif Aajakia Supports Dhurandhar's Portrayal of Karachi's Lyari

Karachi: Pakistani journalist and former Karachi mayor Arif Aajakia has publicly supported Ranveer Singh’s film Dhurandhar amid controversy surrounding its depiction of crime and terrorism in Karachi’s Lyari region. During an interaction at Talk Journalism 2026, Aajakia stated that he was born and raised in Lyari and affirmed the authenticity of the film’s portrayal based on his firsthand experience.

Aajakia further shared details about his family background, mentioning that his parents were born in Junagadh, Gujarat, and expressed that he considers himself of Indian origin despite his Karachi birth. His comments have reignited debate over the film’s narrative, which uses Lyari as a key setting and has drawn criticism for its depiction of Pakistan.