Ground Zero’s Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey on Dhurandhar controversy

Though he never met the late Major Mohit Sharma, the DIG (Retd) BSF/NIA believes that the martyr’s family does have merit in their plea seeking a stay on the release of the Ranveer Singh-starrer film.

By Mayur Lookhar

A storm may not be appropriate but the Ranveer Singh-starrer spy action thriller Dhurandhar is mired in a legal row after the family of the Ashoka Chakra awardee Major Mohit Sharma moved the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the film’s release. Their complaint rests on strong suspicion that Ranveer Singh’s character, as seen in the trailer and other promotional material, draws heavily from the life and heroics of their late son Major Mohit Sharma.

Apart from writer–director Aditya Dhar and producer Jio Studios, the family has named the Central Board of Film Certification, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI), among others, as respondents in their plea. They accuse Dhurandhar’s makers of infringing on posthumous personality rights, and argue the content may be detrimental to national security.

Major Mohit Sharma belonged to 1 Para (Special Forces), served from 1999 to 2009, and was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra for gallantry.

In an undercover operation around 2003-04, as Iftikhar Bhatt, he slipped into Hizbul Mujahideen, won the trust of two terrorists, Abu Torara and Abu Sabzar, and eventually eliminated both.

Major Sharma was martyred on 21 March 2009 during a counter-terror operation in the Hafruda forest, Kupwara district. He killed multiple terrorists and rescued comrades before succumbing to injuries.

Early this year, we saw the Emraan Hashmi-starrer action thriller Ground Zero, based on the anti-terror operation that took out wanted militant Rana Tahir Nadeem, alias Ghazi Baba, in 2003. Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, DIG (Retd) BSF/NIA, served as the second-in-command of that operation, and Hashmi portrayed him in the film. Having already witnessed a Bollywood film made on a real operation he led, Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey is a credible voice to speak on the controversy surrounding Dhurandhar.

Before expressing his views, Dhar Dubey paid tribute to Major Mohit Sharma for the ultimate sacrifice.

He says, “I respect him a lot. In 2009, the Kupwara area had many Lashkar terrorists, and during this time, Major Mohit Sharma laid down his life to neutralize some wanted terrorists. This operation was a huge boost for national security. For his martyrdom, he was rightly honoured with the Ashoka Chakra. His story is one of true valour.”

Dhar Dubey was honest in saying he hasn’t watched the trailer yet, but based on what has been reported about the controversy, he felt that Major Mohit Sharma’s aged parents perhaps have a strong plea.

He believes that the makers haven’t made a biopic. If they had, they would have needed to take copyright permission from the family. In that case, the story would have had to be vetted by a family member and the Army.

“I’m assuming it is not a biopic, but rather a film inspired by his heroics. Bollywood is good at legally ratifying such stories and determining what in them qualifies as copyright material and what doesn’t,” said Dhar Dubey.

Often Bollywood films have a robust legal team, but he added a word of caution. “If you don’t take copyright and don’t call it a biopic, yet the story resembles someone’s life and character, then it does perhaps fall under the ambit of copyright.”

Writer-director Aditya Dhar has humbly denied all rumours that his film is based on the heroics of Major Mohit Sharma. That, however, hasn’t stopped speculation, with quite a few publications and YouTubers confidently declaring that Dhurandhar is based on the life of Major Sharma.

Dubey was cautious in his words, especially since several reports linked Dhurandhar with the story of Major Mohit Sharma, but he was unequivocal in expressing his concern that no classified information should enter the public domain in any form. The Dhurandhar makers have perhaps added to the suspicion with the trailer claiming the film is based on ‘incredibly true events’.

“Any entertainment production or content should never contradict national security. Till the government declassifies something, we should refrain from imaginations or fiction that may contradict our international stand, especially with regard to Pakistan. International and Western media are not in our control. There is a matter of sensitivity involved,” said Dubey.

Given Pakistan’s penchant for peddling lies at world forums, at the United Nations General Assembly, an Indian film like Dhurandhar, which appears to be set around Pakistan’s internal crime scenario in Lyari, Karachi, could be misused by them as supposed ‘evidence’ of an Indian hand in their domestic issues.

This is a fear echoed by Dubey as well. He says, ‘Look, with them anything is possible. Pakistan even claimed victory before Operation Sindoor was over. They do have an edge in information warfare. I don’t rule out the possibility that Pakistan will do this (use Dhurandhar to peddle propaganda).”

He adds, “Course corrections are necessary.  Films on real life heroes, especially Armed Forces usually attract good viewership, logon ka mindset banta hai. Film shouldn’t contradict our international stand.”

One of the key demands reportedly made by Major Mohit Sharma’s family is that the makers should show Dhurandhar to them beforehand. Now, if Aditya Dhar has reaffirmed that neither his film nor Ranveer Singh’s character is based on Major Mohit Sharma, should the producers show the film and dispel all the family’s fears?

Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, though, wasn’t optimistic about that happening.

“I don’t have high hopes here,” he continues. “There is a difference between a martyr and a living soldier. Our film Ground Zero had its share of fiction too, but I was available for major story discussions. A film like Dhurandhar, assuming it is based on Major Mohit Sharma’s life, a martyr would never know what has gone into the film.”

While in court the onus will be on Aditya Dhar and Jio Studios to prove that their film isn’t based on Major Mohit Sharma or his Army life, one is intrigued by how Mohit’s brother Madhur could reveal that his brother once disclosed going to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and disguising himself as Iftikhar Bhatt. Aren’t secret operations meant to remain secret?

Dhar Dubey himself is not on X (formerly Twitter), but the Kirti Chakra awardee, is taken aback when we told him about Madhur Sharma’s X posts. He emphasised that no agent or soldier would ever reveal details of their missions. He says, “Leave alone operations, even the officers assigned to them never disclose their role. You are not required to reveal your whereabouts. It’s like stepping out for work and returning, and no one around you knows what you’ve done. Most of the time, family members have no whiff of it. I spent two years in such operations, but we never spoken about what we did.”

To be fair to Madhur, a film based on the life of his brother was announced in January, 2021 with Applause Entertainment and Drishyam Films producing and it was titled Iftikhar. Who made this announcement? Well, noted TV journalist Shiv Aroor.  This film was based on Aroor and fellow journalist Rahul Singh’s book India’s Most Fearless. True Stories of Modern Military Heroes (2017). A chapter is said to be dedicated to Major Mohit Sharma.

“Couldn’t be more thrilled to share this with you! The incredible tale of special forces hero Ashoka Chakra Major Mohit Sharma in #IndiasMostFearless will be a film by @ManMundra ‘s Drishyam Films &  Applause Social, slated for release Aug 2022.” Aroor had posted on 22 January, 2021.

Madhur had retweeted this and thanked Aroor and all others associated with the film.

“If one had ever thought what that movie could be that brings Iftikhar Bhatt alive and we can relive those moments with him. The wait ends, thank you.”.

Applause Entertainment, Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films, too, had, tweeted this announcement and the reposts and comments by Madhur Sharma perhaps only implied that the makers had obtained consent from the family.

It has been four years since, but the film is still to see the light of day. There were two-and-a-half years of Covid, of course, but nothing has been heard about the project thereafter. What could be the reason for the delay? Did it not get a green signal from the government or the Army? Also, if Iftikhar was a cover identity for a spy mission, then was it wise for Madhur Sharma, Shiv Aroor, Rahul Singh, Applause, and Drishyam Films to title their film Iftikhar? Perhaps this information was declassified, but if that were the case, surely there would have been some visible progress on the film’s development.

While Applause and Drishyam were inspired to make a film on Major Sharma based on a chapter from Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh’s book, one wonders where Aditya Dhar drew his inspiration for Dhurandhar. He has denied that his film is based on Major Mohit Sharma’s heroics. The two research consultants credited on Dhurandhar are noted journalist Aditya Raj Kaul and Dibya S. Kaul and Aroor, both of whom now work with NDTV.

A year or so ago, there were murmurs in Army circles about a film being made by Aditya Dhar on Major Mohit Sharma.

Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey made an interesting observation on two films perhaps based on same subjects. 

“You make a film inspired by a person, which may not be copyright material, but the makers often distort the actual story. Alternatively, they could obtain copyright of a book and then highly fictionalize a particular story. After a few years, another film is made that is very authentic, but viewers already have a perception of the subject or person based on the earlier, highly fictionalized film. This creates a conflict in perception,” sighed Dubey.

The plea of Major Mohit Sharma’s family will be heard in the coming week. This isn’t the first, and certainly won’t be the last time a Bollywood film is mired in legal trouble. It is for the Delhi High Court to decide on the matter, but one often wonders why Bollywood repeatedly courts such controversies. Whether its films based on historical events or biopics, many have faced accusations of distortion. Or not taking the family into confidence. Why does this keep happening?

“Bollywood makes a movie, and then while making it, they start making another movie out of it,” Dubey says with tongue in cheek.

Though he had a pleasant experience while collaborating on Ground Zero, the Kirti Chakra does not hide his words on the attitude of Bollywood while making such films.

“I feel when they make such films, these people don’t think about the feelings of the character. After a while, they find the original character strange. Their interests are purely commercial. They are heartless, no emotion, no ethos. It’s all about production, commerce. They remain sweet talkers though,” Dubey ends, his candour impossible to miss.