Dhurandhar’s AI poster irks Sikh Community, complaint filed against makers, Ranveer Singh

Ranveer Singh starrer Dhurandhar: The Revenge has been earning rave reviews and creating history at the box office ever since its release on March 19. However, the film has also landed in controversy after members of the Sikh community raised strong objections over a viral poster linked to the film.

The outrage began after a written complaint was filed at Mumbai's Mulund Police Station, alleging that the film has hurt Sikh religious sentiments.

What’s the controversy around Dhurandhar: The Revenge

The complaint was submitted by Sardar Gurjyot Singh, president of the organisation 'Sikhs in Maharashtra', who flagged concerns about a poster of the film that has been circulating online.

According to the complaint, the poster shows a character dressed in traditional Sikh attire, including a turban, while smoking a cigarette. The organisation argued that such a depiction goes against Sikh religious principles and disrespects the community, as well as Guru Gobind Singh.

The group has put forward several demands to the Mumbai Police and urged authorities to treat the matter with seriousness and take immediate action. They have also demanded the removal of the controversial poster from all portals and its circulation to be halted.

Additionally, they have demanded that the film's screening be suspended until corrective steps are taken and that legal action be initiated against those responsible, including the director, producers, and the lead actor.

The complaint further highlights that the poster portrays the actor in the film wearing a turban, long beard, and a kara - all sacred symbols of Sikhism - while holding a cigarette. They claim that it violates the Sikh code of conduct.

What’s the truth?

A few days back, news surfaced that a legal notice had been served to the makers and concerned authorities over similar concerns.

The controversy gained more attention after Paramjit Singh Sarna shared a detailed post on X criticising the poster.

He wrote, "The poster of the 'Pralay' song from the film Dhurandhar 2 depicts a turbaned Sikh character holding a cigarette. This portrayal is deeply offensive and a serious violation of Sikh religious principles.

"In Sikh tradition, tobacco is strictly prohibited and regarded as a Bajjar Kurehit, one of the gravest breaches of the Sikh code of conduct. Displaying a Sikh wearing a Dastaar while holding a cigarette is therefore a blatant misrepresentation of Sikh identity and hurts the sentiments of Sikhs worldwide," he added.

"The Sikh turban is a sacred article of faith. Its use in this context is completely irrelevant to the narrative of the film and appears to trivialise and misrepresent Sikh beliefs before a global audience. Such imagery directly attacks Sikh sentiments and projects a distorted understanding of the Sikh faith. We urge the concerned authorities to take immediate cognisance of this matter, investigate the portrayal, and direct the makers to remove or correct this offensive poster," he concluded.

Soon after the post went viral, many on the internet pointed out that the controversial poster was not official. It was revealed to be fan-made using AI, and that the film does not even feature any song titled Pralay.

While the alleged poster seems to be AI-generated and not actually a part of the film, a complaint has been filed against the film, its maker, and the lead actor. So far, the makers of Dhurandhar: The Revenge have not issued any official statement regarding the controversy.