Dhurandhar Actor Naveen Kaushik Reveals Why Pakistanis Are Loving The Film

Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar has been unstoppable at the box office. Led by Ranveer Singh, the film's plot revolves around gangs of Karachi's Lyari Town. The film has been watched in Pakistan, and social media has been abuzz with reactions. Now, Naveen Kaushik, who played the character of Donga in the film, has opened up about why it seems to have had an impact on the audience in Pakistan.

What's Happening

• In conversation with Live Hindustan, Naveen Kaushik spoke about how he has noticed that the reactions coming in from Pakistan deeply reflect how people of that country realise that the film does not disrespect them.
• He said, "Maine ek cheez notice kari hai ki wahan se jo comments aa rahe hain... unhone ye notice kiya hai ki film mein humne wahan ki logon ko gaali nahi di hai, humne unko criticise nahi kiya hai. Humne Muslim community ko koi gaali nahi di hai. Koshish yahi rahi hai ki uss system mein jo corrupt log hain, ya jo agents hain jo poore mahaul ka misuse kiya aur aisi situations create kari jahan India pe attack ho rahe hain... humne unko highlight karne ki koshish kari hai. (I have noticed in the comments that the Pakistani audience has realised that the film has never talked ill about them, never criticised them. We have not abused the Muslim community. We have tried to highlight those corrupt people who have taken advantage of the situation and manufactured such attacks on India.)"
• He added, "Toh woh cheez wahan ke log bhi yahi recognise kar rahe hain ki, 'Haan, ye log humare desh ka bhi bhatta bitha rahe hain.' (This is what the Pakistani audience has recognised: yes, these are the people who have caused the trouble.)"
• "Toh log usse relate kar paa rahe hain ki hum bhi kehna chahte the, hum bhi chahte the ki aise logon ke upar sawal uthe. Unko koi target karein na ki woh ki ek insaan ke liye poora desh kharab hai, woh kehna galat hoga. Isliye film ko dekh kar pyaar bhej rahe hain, which is nice," concluded the actor. (They have related to the fact that these people must be questioned. They must be targeted... not the entire country, which would not serve the purpose. That is why the film has received so much love.)"

About Dhurandhar

Besides Ranveer Singh, Dhurandhar stars Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi in important roles.

Dhurandhar has emerged as a blockbuster, earning over Rs 600 crore in India. The film opened strongly with Rs 103 crore in its first weekend (Rs 28 crore on Friday, Rs 32 crore on Saturday, and Rs 43 crore on Sunday) and maintained momentum through weekdays, ending week one at Rs 207.25 crore.

The second weekend saw a surge, while weekdays stayed solid. By the third weekend, collections reached Rs 555.75 crore. The film continues its record-breaking run as 2025's biggest hit. After 19 days, the film's total collection stands at Rs 619.3 crore nett in India, as reported by Jio Studios.

Dhurandhar 2 Update

During the post-credit scene of Dhurandhar, the makers revealed that the sequel will release on March 19, 2026. Taran Adarsh shared that Dhurandhar 2 will hit screens in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.

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No Study Says Only 9% Aravalli Above 100 Meters: Forest Survey Of India

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has issued a rebuttal to recent media reports and interpretations suggesting that its studies or data indicate only 9% (approximately 8.7-9%) of the Aravalli hills rise above 100 meters in height, implying that 90% of the range would lose protection following the Supreme Court's judgment dated November 20. 

In a post on X, the FSI, responsible for assessment and monitoring of the forest resources of the country, clarified that it has not conducted or endorsed any specific study claiming that merely 9% of the Aravalli range qualifies as hills above 100 meters, nor has it concluded that 90% of the hills would be left unprotected as a result of the top court's recent order.

The backstory

The controversy stems from the Supreme Court's landmark judgment on November 20 in long-pending matters related to mining and environmental protection in the Aravalli Hills and Ranges. 

The court accepted a uniform definition recommended by a high-level committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). This definition classifies landforms as "Aravalli Hills" if they rise 100 meters or more above the local surrounding terrain (relief), with adjacent areas and slopes included, and "Aravalli Ranges" as clusters of such hills within 500 meters of each other.

The ruling aimed to resolve longstanding inconsistencies in how different states defined the Aravallis, which span across Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Delhi. The court also imposed a freeze on new mining leases until a comprehensive Management Plan for Sustainable Mining is prepared, emphasising the range's critical role in preventing desertification, recharging groundwater, and acting as a natural barrier against dust storms from the Thar Desert.

Media reports and environmental groups have cited internal assessments - reportedly from the FSI - showing that, in Rajasthan alone, only about 1,048 out of 12,081 mapped hill formations (rising at least 20 meters) meet the 100m threshold. This equates to roughly 8.7%, leading to claims that over 90% of the Aravalli system could lose legal safeguards against mining, construction, and other activities.

These interpretations have sparked widespread protests in Rajasthan and Haryana, with environmentalists warning of accelerated ecological degradation, increased desertification risks, and threats to the Delhi-NCR region's air quality.

FSI's Clarification
The FSI emphasised that the figures being circulated do not represent an official FSI study concluding widespread loss of protection. It stated:

> "FSI categorically refutes claims in certain sections of the media that it has carried out any study saying that only 9% Aravalli is above 100 meters."

The organization further clarified:

> "FSI categorically refutes claims in certain sections of the media that it has carried out any study showing that 90% of the hills in Aravalli would be left unprotected following the recent judgement of Supreme Court" 

The FSI's position aligns with government clarifications, including statements from Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, asserting that the new definition - when applied to entire hill systems, contours, and surrounding areas - will actually bring over 90% of the Aravalli region under protected status. Officials have described the 100-meter criterion as a globally accepted geological standard (drawing from classifications like Richard Murphy's), aimed at preventing misuse and ensuring objective, map-verifiable boundaries.

Broader Implications
The Aravalli range, often called India's oldest mountain system (dating back over 2 billion years), has been a focal point of environmental litigation since the 1990s. Previous Supreme Court interventions, including bans on mining in certain areas, were driven by concerns over irreversible damage from quarrying.

While environmental activists and opposition leaders have labelled the new definition a potential "death warrant" for much of the range, the government and the court maintain that it strengthens uniform protection and sustainable regulation.

The FSI's rebuttal comes amid ongoing debates and protests, with calls for more inclusive criteria (such as slope-based definitions previously used by the FSI) to better capture the ecological continuity of the low-relief hills and ridges.

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Professor Suspended Over "Atrocities Against Muslims" Question In Exam Paper

A professor at Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) was suspended after a question he set in a semester examination triggered widespread controversy and outrage on social media. 

The university has also constituted an inquiry committee to probe the matter, officials said.

The controversy centres on a 15-mark question in the BA (Hons) Social Work first-semester examination, held earlier this week, in a paper titled 'Social Problems in India'. 

The question asked students to "discuss the atrocities against Muslim minorities in India, giving suitable examples".

Prof Virendra Balaji Shahare created the test. 

Following complaints, the university said it took a "serious view" of what it described as negligence and carelessness on the part of faculty member.

"An inquiry committee has been formed to examine the issue. Until the committee submits its report, the concerned professor has been placed under suspension," a university official told NDTV. 

The official added that the move was taken to uphold academic responsibility and institutional discipline.

An order signed by officiating registrar CA Sheikh Safiullah, and circulated widely on social media, confirmed the suspension "till further orders". 

The order also stated that "Prof Shahare's headquarters during the suspension period would be New Delhi and he shall not leave the headquarters without prior permission of the Competent Authority".

The same order mentioned that a police FIR would be filed "as per rules". However, university officials later clarified that there was no intention, at present, to register an FIR against the professor.

"There is no proposal to file any police case against the faculty member. The matter is being examined internally through a committee," an official said, seeking to clear confusion arising from the wording of the order.

Images of the question paper began circulating online on Monday, prompting sharp reactions from several users, who questioned the appropriateness of the wording and alleged political or communal bias. 

The issue gained further traction after Kanchan Gupta, senior adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, shared the suspension notice on X.

Jamia Millia Islamia suspends Social Work Dept professor for extremely provocative and communally polarising question in Semester 1 question paper. Inquiry ordered. FIR being filed.
JMI is a Central University with a mixed student community. The question shows malicious intent. pic.twitter.com/GSHzJOsg2o

— Kanchan Gupta 🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) December 23, 2025

"Jamia Millia Islamia is a central university with a mixed student community. The question shows malicious intent," Gupta wrote, criticising the paper setter.

While Jamia Millia Islamia has not issued a detailed public statement beyond the suspension order, sources said the inquiry committee will examine how the question was framed and approved, and whether it violated university norms or examination guidelines.

The findings of the committee are expected to determine the next course of action in the case.
 

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Singer Harassed While Performing 'Jago Maa'. What Is The Song All About?

Bengali singer Lagnajita Chakraborty was allegedly harassed for performing the song "Jago Maa" during a concert on Saturday, sparking widespread criticism.

A man has been arrested for allegedly targeting the popular singer for not singing a "secular" song and instead performing what he perceived as a "religious" number at a private school in East Midnapore's Bhagwanpur.

So what is the song all about?

According to the singer, she performed the track from the upcoming Bengali movie Devi Chowdhurani. The song's lyricist, Ritam Sen, clarified to NDTV that the song is based on "motherhood and not a Goddess."

"What happened to Lagnajita during her show was completely unacceptable," Sen told NDTV. "One needs to understand that the lyrics of 'Jago Maa' are not about any deity. The song is themed around a mother and the concept of motherhood, representing feminine energy."

He added that the song was created as a promotional video for the film and is based on the iconic character of Devi Chowdhurani, not the Goddess Durga.

Directed by Subhrajit Mitra and starring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Srabanti Chatterjee, Devi Chowdhurani is a historical drama adapted from Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's classic novel.

Recalling the incident, Lagnajita said, "I had finished my seventh song and was communicating with the audience before starting the eighth. I had just finished 'Jago Maa' and was explaining the details of the song to the crowd when I saw a man come running onto the stage. He looked like he wanted to hit me."

"When he realised that, well, he really could not manage to beat me up, even after all this. While he was being pulled away from me, he shouted and said, 'Enough of your Jaago Ma, now sing something secular," Langajita added further.
 

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Opinion: Opinion | Telangana A Lab For Congress's Minority Policy

One of the that catapulted Revanth Reddy to the Chief Minister's chair in Telangana is his aggression. He does not believe in keeping it subtle when he wants to drive a point home. When he spoke about "sacrifices" by Sonia Gandhi that have enabled Christians to celebrate Christmas in Telangana, it was not so much about sycophancy as a well-thought-out political strategy.

As expected, it caught everyone's attention and sent the political mercury soaring. The BJP has called it "Olympic-level sycophancy and boot-licking" and said this was an insult to Jesus Christ and the Christian community, and mockingly suggested that the Congress may next claim the Sun rises because of the Gandhi family.

The BRS called it political theatrics and recirculated videos from when Revanth Reddy was in the Telugu Desam Party and had reportedly referred to Sonia Gandhi as "Bali Devatha" (Deity of Sacrifice), blaming her for the death of young people during the movement for a separate state.  

Examine the statement: "If people are celebrating Christmas in Telangana today, it is because of Sonia Gandhi's sacrifice." 

This was a sequel to Reddy's explosive comment just a month ago, in the run-up to a high-decibel by-poll in Jubilee Hills, when he told the Muslim electorate: "Hum hain tho aap hain" (You exist because we exist and you are nothing without the Congress). He even suggested that they were able to celebrate Islamic festivals because of the Congress government. 

Revanth Reddy did not make a random statement to appease the minority community or flatter his political boss. It is a calculated piece of a much larger, sharper game plan to break the hold of the BRS, or even the AIMIM, over the minority vote. 

By linking religious festivities and even minority "existence" with the Congress party, Reddy is moving away from the BRS model of secularism, focusing on welfare schemes like Shaadi Mubarak, and instead moving the narrative to protectionism. Under KCR, the BRS treated minorities as "beneficiaries" of welfare. It was a top-down model of financial doles. It was a patronage model.

Revanth Reddy is framing the Congress not just as a choice among `secular' parties, but as a survival shield against a rising BJP, raising the bogey that under the BJP, even the right to exist and celebrate their festivals is under threat.

Revanth Reddy is pivoting the Congress as an "aggressive protector". 
By invoking Sonia Gandhi's "sacrifice" for statehood, he is trying to communicate to the minority community that they owe some kind of a gratitude that goes beyond a payout from the treasury, positioning the Congress as the party that will ensure protection of their rights and that it is an architect of their freedom.

For years, the AIMIM has been seen as the voice of the Muslims, and undeniably held the monopoly on Muslim representation, in what can be seen as a ghetto model. With not enough strength of numbers to lead the state on its own, it often acted as a tactical ally to the BRS. Revanth Reddy is directly challenging this "outsourcing" of minority leadership. 

By bringing the Telangana model of caste census into the mix, the Congress is telling the so-called Pasmanda or backward Muslims and Christians, that they can be mainstreamed to get a share of power the "Mandal" way rather than through religious representation, which is the "Majlis" way. That was a move by then Congress Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy that was struck down by the Supreme Court.

Revanth Reddy is also moving beyond mere rhetoric. He is promising a law that will act as an anti-hate shield. 

Reddy has said this is modelled after a similar move in Karnataka, suggesting that it is the Congress that is building a legal fortress to ensure that when there are rogue comments, the state would become your bouncer, your protector.

While the BRS often avoided direct confrontation on communal issues to maintain a "neutral" image, Reddy is taking a side. He is legislating against "insults to faith", effectively making the BRS and AIMIM's rhetoric look passive in comparison.

Revanth Reddy's reference to a "Miracle Month", linking the birthday of Jesus, the birthdate of Sonia Gandhi and Telangana's birth is meant to strike an emotional chord about the political stakes the Congress had been willing to risk because it took a "principled" stance on statehood. The message is that the Congress knew it would lose out in Andhra Pradesh because of "giving" Telangana and yet it kept its promise. Similarly, it would act on behalf of minorities, without looking at political expediency.

What Revanth Reddy is betting on is that, in the coming years, to counter an aggressive Hindutva political force like the BJP, minority voters won't be satisfied merely with the "secular" credentials of any party. They would want a "warrior" party that can mainstream them. Telangana is a lab for the Congress to amplify in the rest of the country.

(Uma Sudhir is Executive Editor, NDTV)

(Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author)

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Watch: Russian Woman Clears 6 Myths About India, Internet Reacts

A Russian woman living in India has gained significant attention on social media for sharing her experience of living in India. In an Instagram video, the woman named Kseniia Shakirzianova debunked common myths and addressed several misconceptions, showcasing her life in India over the past three years. "So I have been living in India [for] around 3 years, and let me clear a few myths," Shakirzianova said while eating a sandwich in a car. The video gained significant traction with more than 67K views and over 2000 likes.

Also read | Chinese Firm Gifts Renovated Flats After 5 Years Of Service To Retain Employees

Myths Vs Reality

1. Shakirzianova dismissed the idea that the Indian sun drastically changes foreigners, saying she still hasn't gotten a tan, even though everyone said that the Indian sun would "burn" her.

2. She clarified that she didn't gain weight from Indian food, despite warnings about its oily nature.

Watch the video here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kseniia Shakirzianova (@vegkseniia)

3. She also revealed that she hasn't ridden a bike even once, even as a passenger.

4. She joked about not wearing a sari every day, saying "Shocking? I know".

5. Shakirzianova said she didn't become "spirituality-enlightened" and didn't disappear into retreats.

6. She said she definitely doesn't drink masala chai "five times a day".

"India didn't turn me into a stereotype. It just stayed in India, and I stayed me," she said at the end of the video.

Social Media Reaction

"Haha! Thanks for the honesty!" one user said in the comment section.

"It's nice to see someone from another country interested in Indian culture," another added.

"You sound like a normal indian women who takes good care of their skin.. indian women wear sari very rarely nowadays...so I think you are living a modern Indian lifestyle," a third wrote.

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Sunny Shares Ikkis Wrap-Up Clip, Dharmendra Urges India And Pakistan To Watch

The late actor Dharmendra, who will be posthumously seen in the upcoming film Ikkis, once said that he wishes that people of both India and Pakistan watches the film.

On Saturday, the late actor's elder son Sunny Deol took to his Instagram, and shared a BTS video from Ikkis. In the video, Dharmendra said, “I'm extremely happy to be in the Mandav films. The team, the captain, Shriram ji. It was done in a very nice way”.

He further mentioned, “I think India and Pakistan both should see the film. I'm a bit happily sad today, the last day of shooting. I love you all, if I made any mistake, please forgive me”.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sunny Deol (@iamsunnydeol)

Sunny wrote in the caption, “A smile that lit up the darkness. Generosity without limits. Love for my papa is deeply rooted in our hearts. He has blessed us with his final film, Ikkis. Let's celebrate him in movie halls this New Year”.

Ikkis is directed by Sriram Raghavan, and is based on the life of Arun Khetarpal, one of India's youngest Param Vir Chakra awardees, who was martyred during the 1971 Indo-Pak war at the age of 21.

The title directly refers to Khetarpal's age at the time of his death. The lead role is played by Agastya Nanda, marking a significant departure from conventional debut choices, as the film prioritises realism over spectacle. Veteran actor Dharmendra appears in a key role, adding generational weight to the narrative.

The film focuses on military discipline, battlefield decision-making, and personal courage rather than melodrama. Staying true to historical accounts, the film aims to portray the human cost of war while honouring a real-life hero whose bravery continues to hold national significance.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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