Dhurandhar 2 Filmed in India and Thailand, Not Pakistan, For Pakistani Scenes

Dhurandhar 2's Pakistani scenes were filmed in India and Thailand, not Pakistan. This means the Lyari and Karachi settings you saw were created using Indian and Thai locations.
By Newsroom | Film, Entertainment |

Mumbai's Echoes in Pakistan's Streets

The much-discussed film 'Dhurandhar 2' does not feature actual locales in Pakistan's Lyari or Karachi. Instead, its urban Pakistani settings were meticulously constructed using a variety of locations within India and Thailand. This revelation challenges the on-screen verisimilitude, particularly for scenes depicting the gritty realities of Lyari and the affluent ambiance of Karachi. The production team, under director Aditya Dhar, employed Indian and Thai landscapes to construct the film's visual narrative.

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Indian Backdrops for Foreign Lands

Several key Indian sites served as proxies for Pakistani locales. Mumbai's Filmistan Studios and Madh Island provided coastal backdrops and were primary hubs for filming. Specific urban elements were captured on the Dombivli-Mankoli bridge and in Vile Parle.

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  • A notable instance is the opulent villa owned by Ranveer Singh's character, Jaskirat Singh Rangi (alias Hamza Ali Mazari). This sprawling property, depicted as a high-end Karachi residence with grand arches and polished interiors, was actually filmed at a 19th-century Amritsar haveli. This haveli, reportedly costing around Rs 50,000 per day for shoots, became a visually striking element of the film. Its design, described as a blend of modern aesthetics and nature-led planning with a central courtyard, water features, and subtle neutral tones, offered the scale, privacy, and flexibility production teams often seek.

  • High-altitude action sequences were reportedly filmed in Leh.

  • Scenes depicting specific confrontations, like the bridge sequence where SP Chaudhary Aslam apprehends Rehman Dakait, were filmed on the Dombivli-Mankoli Bridge.

  • A mall sequence featuring the characters Hamza and Yalina took place in Mumbai's Inorbit Mall.

  • Areas around Ludhiana, including its bylanes, railway tracks, and Shahnewal Airport, were also utilized.

  • Further details suggest scenes set in Pakistan were filmed in Khera Village, near Ludhiana in Punjab's Kapurthala district.

Bangkok's Contribution to the Illusion

Beyond Indian soil, parts of Bangkok, Thailand, were transformed to mirror the dense, chaotic atmosphere of Lyari. These Thai locations were crucial in replicating the specific visual texture and feel of Lyari's streetscapes and buildings.

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The Narrative Versus Reality

The film's narrative follows Ranveer Singh's character, Hamza, as he gets closer to becoming 'Sher-e-Baloch' of Lyari. While 'Dhurandhar 1' was noted for Akshaye Khanna's performance, the second installment shifts focus to Ranveer Singh. The disconnect between the narrative's Pakistani setting and the actual filming locations highlights cinema's capacity to construct alternate realities through geographical reinvention.

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Background

'Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge' continues the story, with the second installment taking a different narrative route, tracing Ranveer Singh’s character’s journey from a potential army officer to an undercover operative. The franchise's visual world-building, especially its portrayal of Pakistan, relies heavily on these carefully chosen, albeit geographically displaced, filming locations. This practice underscores a common trend in filmmaking where the perceived authenticity of a location can be achieved through the strategic deployment of diverse, accessible, and visually suitable sites, irrespective of their actual geographical origin.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where was Dhurandhar 2 filmed for its Pakistani scenes?
Dhurandhar 2 did not film any scenes in Pakistan. The movie's Pakistani settings, like Lyari and Karachi, were filmed in various locations across India and Thailand.
Q: Which Indian cities were used to film scenes meant to be in Pakistan for Dhurandhar 2?
Key Indian locations included Mumbai's Filmistan Studios and Madh Island for coastal views. The Dombivli-Mankoli bridge and Vile Parle were also used. An Amritsar haveli stood in for a Karachi villa, and Leh was used for high-altitude action.
Q: Did Bangkok play a role in creating the look of Pakistan in Dhurandhar 2?
Yes, parts of Bangkok, Thailand, were used to recreate the busy and dense atmosphere of Lyari's streetscapes. These Thai locations helped build the specific visual feel of the Pakistani urban areas.
Q: Why did the filmmakers of Dhurandhar 2 choose India and Thailand instead of filming in Pakistan?
The article suggests that filmmakers often choose diverse, accessible, and visually suitable locations to create the perceived authenticity of a place. India and Thailand likely offered the necessary settings and flexibility for production needs.
Q: What specific Pakistani locations in Dhurandhar 2 were actually filmed elsewhere?
The gritty streets of Lyari were recreated in Bangkok, Thailand. The affluent Karachi setting, including a villa, was filmed at a 19th-century haveli in Amritsar, India. Bridge scenes were filmed on the Dombivli-Mankoli Bridge in India.