Entertainment
-Ashish Rana
The Delhi High Court has asked the Union government and the Central Board of Film Certification to examine a plea seeking clear rules for spy-thriller films, after concerns that scenes in “Dhurandhar: The Revenge” might reveal sensitive details about the armed forces and pose a risk to national security.
Following concerns that the film ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ could expose sensitive national security information, the Delhi High Court has directed the Union government and CBFC to review guidelines for spy-thriller movies. The court asked authorities to consider the petition as a representation and decide on appropriate measures for depicting military tactics in fiction.
The petition came from Sashastra Seema Bal personnel Deepak Kumar, represented by advocate Jagjeet Singh, who claimed that specific scenes in “Dhurandhar: The Revenge” had been shot and edited in a way that could disclose information harmful to the country’s security interests, even though the film is presented as fictional entertainment.
Delhi High Court seeks CBFC guidelines for spy-thriller films
A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tejas Karia stressed that the CBFC should frame some form of guidance for such content. The judges indicated that fictional stories could still influence real behaviour and highlighted the need for regulatory attention where military tactics or operational methods are dramatised.
Explaining the concern, the bench said, “The movie is a work of fiction, made for entertainment purposes, but the impact of the movie cannot be denied. Suppose a movie is made where there is a character who commits suicide and someone in the same position before committing suicide searches for the process…. Can it be permitted? Even if it is fiction. He says that tactics of the army or the force for meeting challenges and secrets are revealed, even if the movie may be fictional. This needs to be addressed. There should be some guidelines of the censor board.”
Delhi High Court considers plea on Dhurandhar: The Revenge and national security
The plea alleged that the film uses detailed depictions of locations, specific operations and characters that appear inspired by senior officers and martyred personnel. According to the petition, these elements are shown with such precision that, despite the fictional label, they could affect national security and the integrity of the nation.
The petition also pointed to earlier films including Bell Bottom, Mission Majnu, Raazi and Uri: The Surgical Strike. Kumar argued that movies portraying defence operations or intelligence work should not place operational techniques, sensitive procedures or strategic methods into the public domain under the cover of cinema or creative licence.
After hearing the submissions, the Delhi High Court decided not to rule on the film itself but to treat the filing as a representation to the authorities. The judges said, “Having regard to the nature of the issue and the concerns raised, we are of the opinion that the concerns raised by the petitioner need to be considered and addressed. Accordingly, we dispose of the writ with the direction that the competent authority of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and CBFC, consider the entire petition as a representation and take an appropriate decision on the issues raised therein. The decision and corrective measures, if any if taken on consideration of the representation dated March 23 2026, shall also be communicated to the petitioner. The writ petition stands disposed of in the aoresiad terms,” making it clear that any follow-up action must come from the ministry and CBFC.
With the writ petition disposed of, the focus now shifts to how the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the CBFC respond to the concerns raised around Dhurandhar: The Revenge and similar spy-thriller films, and whether any new guidelines are framed to address portrayal of defence operations and confidential tactics on screen.
