The matter was before a division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia on May 20, 2026. They put the ball in the court of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the CBFC to have a look at the complaint.
What the Delhi HC has ordered
They didn’t put a stop to the showings, but they did tell the authorities to make an informed call on the plea. “Even if the movie is a work of fiction and imagination and is made for entertainment purposes, the impact of the movie can’t be denied,” the bench was at pains to point out.
Here is what the court action means right now:
– No stay on the film’s release or run
– MIB and CBFC must consider the petition
– A decision has to be informed and reasoned
– Guidelines for the board were nudged by the bench
Why the petition raised alarms
The one who brought it up is Deepak Kumar, a Head Constable with the Sashastra Seema Bal in New Delhi. In his Public Interest Litigation, he says the film gives away operational details of the armed forces and other defence matters you wouldn’t want in the public eye. He even points to some scenes and characters in the film as being too close to the mark when it comes to senior officials and those no longer with us.
The court didn’t wave him off. “It cannot be said to be bereft of any material,” they said of his concerns.
Entertainment vs national security
There is an understanding here of how much of an influence cinema has. When you have a story that is seen by the masses, it can colour how people see the military and its more discreet side. The judges were clear they weren’t there to be censors, though. “The censor board should have some guidelines. We will only direct you to consider his representation and take an informed decision.”
A franchise no stranger to scrutiny
This isn’t the first time the franchise has been in hot water. With the 2025 original, the family of Major Mohit Sharma had a problem with the way the film was done, saying it was a copy of his life and operations without the Army’s say-so. The High Court then told the CBFC to talk to the Army if they had to, but let the film run. You can see how that sets the stage for this.
Box office muscle behind Dhurandhar 2
Then again, you have to factor in the numbers. Since opening on March 19, 2026, the sequel has been a juggernaut, raking in over Rs 1,700 crore from around the world. It is easily Ranveer’s top earner and one of the biggest in India.
What you have with this film, helmed by Aditya Dhar, is a hit with a very loyal following. R Madhavan is in it as the Intelligence Bureau head, Ajay Sanyal, on a mission in Pakistan, while Ranveer is the young Punjabi going in where he shouldn’t in Karachi. With the likes of Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal and Sanjay Dutt in the mix, it has done well even overseas. But with that kind of success comes a certain level of scrutiny.
What to watch for next
Now it is up to the MIB and the CBFC to do their job and make a call. There is no order to pull the film, but whatever they decide may well be a precedent for how we handle these kinds of high-stakes thrillers in the future. It is more than a question of one movie; it is about where we in India draw the line when pop culture gets too close to home.
Key steps to expect now:
– Authorities review the petition’s claims
– CBFC evaluates depictions flagged as sensitive
– A formal decision communicated after consideration
