Comedian Zakir Khan recently found himself in the middle of a controversy after making comments about the blockbuster success of Dhurandhar: The Revenge, also known as Dhurandhar 2, during the Screen Awards 2026. While the comedian was hosting the event alongside Alia Bhatt and Sunil Grover, his jokes about the industry’s reaction to the film drew criticism from several Bollywood personalities, including actress Ameesha Patel and director Siddharth Anand.
On stage, Zakir Khan joked about Bollywood’s reaction to the film’s record-breaking run. He said, in Hindi, “Kitne hi congratulatory post aap daal de, kitne hi story daalde, kitne hi interview mein aap bolde my favourite film, magar sach toh yeh hai ke Dhurandhar se sabki jali toh hai,” suggesting that despite public praise, many in the industry were secretly envious of Dhurandhar 2.
He added, “Bombs film mein foote lyari mein par dhuan udaa hai Bandra se Juhu mein,” implying that while the film’s action happened in Lyari, the “real smoke” was happening among the Mumbai film circles in Bandra and Juhu.
Though the comments were intended to be humorous, they did not sit well with some members of the film fraternity.
She also highlighted that the industry had always appreciated well-made films and respected the efforts of filmmakers like Aditya Dhar, who directed Dhurandhar 2, noting the difference between “projects” made for social media and films made for storytelling.
Apart from his hosting duties, Zakir Khan has announced a break from stand-up performances after his ongoing Papa Yaar tour. He mentioned that he may step away from live shows for three to five years to focus on health and personal life.
On stage, Zakir Khan joked about Bollywood’s reaction to the film’s record-breaking run. He said, in Hindi, “Kitne hi congratulatory post aap daal de, kitne hi story daalde, kitne hi interview mein aap bolde my favourite film, magar sach toh yeh hai ke Dhurandhar se sabki jali toh hai,” suggesting that despite public praise, many in the industry were secretly envious of Dhurandhar 2.
He added, “Bombs film mein foote lyari mein par dhuan udaa hai Bandra se Juhu mein,” implying that while the film’s action happened in Lyari, the “real smoke” was happening among the Mumbai film circles in Bandra and Juhu.
Though the comments were intended to be humorous, they did not sit well with some members of the film fraternity.
Ameesha Patel Responds
Ameesha Patel, taking to her X (formerly Twitter) account, called out Zakir for spreading negativity. She wrote, “DUDE, stop spreading NEGATIVITY! Film industry has valued and respected DHURANDHAR! Superstars like SRK, SALMAN, SUNNY, HRITHIK, AJAY etc have given not just one but 25-plus mega hits and will continue to do so. Chill. Gadar bahut saalon se sabne already machai hain aur aage bhi machaayenge.”She also highlighted that the industry had always appreciated well-made films and respected the efforts of filmmakers like Aditya Dhar, who directed Dhurandhar 2, noting the difference between “projects” made for social media and films made for storytelling.
Siddharth Anand Weighs In
Director Siddharth Anand, known for Pathaan and War, also reacted on X, defending the contributions of long-standing industry professionals. He said, “Juhu - Bandra peeps have given all ATBB’s since the past 50 years. You have to be a real duffer to undermine their contribution.” Anand’s comment pointed to the decades of work by Bollywood veterans from these neighborhoods who have delivered some of the industry’s biggest blockbusters.Dhurandhar 2’s Historic Success
Produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, Dhurandhar 2 stars Ranveer Singh, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi. The spy thriller became the first Bollywood film to cross ₹1,000 crore in India alone. It follows Ranveer’s character, Jaskirat Singh Rangi, as he rises to become Hamza Ali Mazari, a covert operative navigating Lyari’s underworld.Apart from his hosting duties, Zakir Khan has announced a break from stand-up performances after his ongoing Papa Yaar tour. He mentioned that he may step away from live shows for three to five years to focus on health and personal life.
