1. Sholay – Rahim Chacha as the Muslim victim
This is often cited as an early Bollywood trope where:
the Muslim character is helpless,
the Hindu characters rescue or avenge him,
the film reinforces a “secular harmony through victimhood” script.
For decades, Bollywood used Muslim characters as symbols of suffering, moral purity, or loyalty — sometimes to signal “Nehruvian secularism.”
2. PK – Scenes perceived as belittling Hindu beliefs
Many viewers felt:
the satire was disproportionately aimed at Hindu rituals and gods,
whereas Islamic or Christian institutions were barely touched,
suggesting selective bravery or political convenience.
This intensified distrust toward certain filmmakers who were accused of mocking Hindu faith while avoiding criticism of others.
3. Mission Mangal – The fictional Muslim scientist denied a rented flat
This scene suggested:
Hindus discriminate against Muslims in housing,
reinforcing a stereotype,
despite being fabricated and not part of the real ISRO story.
To many audiences, this felt like importing political messaging into an otherwise apolitical scientific film.
Why People Are Now Calling This “Dhurandhar” Pressure
The word “Dhurandhar” has become a shorthand for:
unapologetic assertion of Hindu identity,
calling out biased symbolism,
rejection of “one-sided secularism”,
reclaiming cultural narratives.
Audiences today are:
- questioning stereotypes
- challenging anti-Hindu portrayals
- rejecting guilt-driven storytelling
- supporting content that reflects cultural pride
- noticing inconsistencies in “selective sensitivity”
This shift has brought discomfort to filmmakers who were used to a monopoly on defining “secular messaging.”
Thus the phrase “Bollywood’s narrative is crumbling” reflects a cultural correction, not censorship.
What Changed?
1. Social Media Accountability
Bollywood no longer controls the narrative.
Audiences analyze, fact-check, and call out bias instantly.
2. Rise of Alternate Cinema
Films like Kashmir Files, Kantara, Karthikeya, Tanhaji, 12th Fail, etc., show a new appetite for rooted storytelling.
3. Public Fatigue With Certain Tropes
Viewers are tired of:
Hindu caricatures
victimhood templates
forced message-messaging
moral lectures disguised as entertainment
4. Assertion of Cultural Identity
A De-colonized, self-aware generation sees itself not through Bollywood lenses but through history, tradition, and civilizational pride.
Is Bollywood Changing? Absolutely.
We now see:
fewer “Hindu villain–Muslim victim” scripts
more balanced portrayals
cautious treatment of religious themes
growing demand for authenticity
less tolerance for ideological propaganda
This is not a collapse — it is a realignment.
Bollywood’s old secular-victimhood formula is losing grip.
A culturally confident audience — “Dhurandhar Bharat” — is demanding respect, balance, and authenticity.
Hindi cinema is entering a phase where narratives must match reality, not ideology.
