Is 'Dhurandhar' Based On Real Story? Retired Spymaster Recounts Actual Experience

New Delhi: Since the release of 'Dhurandhar 2', public enthusiasm for espionage stories has surged. Everyone is debating the extent to which the narrative depicted in the film is grounded in reality versus pure fiction. Now, Colonel Bhupendra Shahi (Retd.), who is associated with the 'Dhurandhar 2' project, has spoken out regarding the film. He stated that *Dhurandhar* is highly authentic. He noted that while cinema often requires elements to be slightly exaggerated and presented with a certain flair, the film remains largely true to reality. During this discussion, he also recounted the story of a real-life spy.

What did Colonel Bhupendra say regarding the film's authenticity?

In a special conversation on actor Vijay Vikram Singh’s podcast, Colonel Bhupendra Shahi (Retd.) remarked, "Yes, there is indeed a person who crossed over to the other side of the border. And by 'crossed over,' I mean there are likely still many such individuals today; every nation engages in such activities—both their country and ours. In fact, let me show you a young man who undertook such a mission. He was my recruit. 'Dhurandhar', too, has a story of its own."
Continuing his narrative, the Colonel explained that the protagonist of 'Dhurandhar' is an ex-serviceman. Vijay Vikram then interjected to ask, "You mean this applies to the original story?"

Colonel Bhupendra clarified, "No—I am referring to the manner in which RAW subsequently trained him. My 'Dhurandhar' was this man [shows a photograph]. He is back here now. He spent at least three to four months operating within Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). His sole objective was to remain stationed in PoK. He successfully gathered and brought back valuable data and intelligence from the region."

"He even entered into a *Nikah* (marriage) while he was there; he became a family man. He lived within a madrasa and posed as a mute individual. At one point, his cover was nearly blown, but it was that very girl who saved him. Subsequently, he was delayed by 15 days... He had been given a specific deadline—a designated day by which he was required to cross the Line of Control (LoC) and return to our side. He was unable to make it on that day because, had he attempted to cross at any later time, heavy cross-border fire would have inevitably erupted."

"This young man was so clever that he somehow managed to infiltrate. The Army picked him up from 'Location A' and dropped him off at 'Location B.' He underwent a thorough sanitization process. Whatever item he had brought with him was concealed within his body; the doctors subsequently extracted it."

Colonel Bhupendra revealed that even while this spy was still across the border, he had been provided with a substantial amount of cash. He had left behind four to five lakh Pakistani rupees for the young woman.

What was Colonel Bhupendra Shahi's Role in 'Dhurandhar'?

Speaking of Colonel Bhupendra Shahi, he made his entry into Bollywood through the film 'Shershaah'. The Colonel serves as a military advisor for films, a role he has fulfilled in nine military-themed movies to date. In *Dhurandhar*, his primary responsibility was data collection; however, he noted that he could not disclose the specific nature of the data involved. Colonel Bhupendra Shahi stated that he worked on establishing liaisons with the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs, arranging logistical support, verifying details, and ensuring the film's authenticity.