The intrigue surrounding Captain Jaskirat Singh Rangi in the 2025 Bollywood film Dhurandhar stems from a potent mix of cinematic storytelling, real-world inspirations, and fan-driven speculation. Directed by Aditya Dhar, who previously helmed the critically acclaimed Uri: The Surgical Strike, Dhurandhar weaves a high-stakes spy thriller narrative that has captivated audiences while sparking debates about its roots in reality. At the heart of these discussions is the question of whether Rangi, portrayed by Ranveer Singh, represents a genuine Indian Army officer or is purely a product of creative license. This article delves deeply into the character’s origins, the film’s plot, associated controversies, connections to other works, and broader implications for depicting military themes in cinema.
To begin with the film’s premise, Dhurandhar follows the journey of Hamza Ali Mazari, a rugged operative embedded in the treacherous underworld of Karachi’s Lyari area. As the story unfolds, particularly in a climactic revelation, Hamza is unmasked as Captain Jaskirat Singh Rangi, a covert agent from the Punjab Regiment with a backstory rooted in redemption. Recruited from individuals facing life imprisonment or death sentences, Rangi is tasked with infiltrating a terrorist-gangster nexus linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The operation, dubbed “Operation Dhurandhar,” fictionalizes elements of the real-world Operation Lyari—a prolonged anti-gang initiative by Pakistani forces starting around 2012, involving intense urban warfare and crackdowns on criminal syndicates. The movie integrates historical Indian events for added authenticity, such as the 1999 IC-814 hijacking, the 2001 Parliament attack, Pakistan’s alleged acquisition of Indian currency printing plates, and the 2008 Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks. These references ground the plot in geopolitical tensions, but Rangi’s personal arc—marked by a criminal past, elite training, and sacrificial missions—appears tailored for dramatic impact rather than biographical accuracy.
A significant layer of complexity arises from the controversy linking Rangi to Major Mohit Sharma, a real-life Indian Army hero. Born in Rohtak, Haryana, Sharma joined the Indian Military Academy in 1999 and volunteered for the 1st Para (Special Forces) unit. Under the alias “Iftikhar Bhatt,” he infiltrated militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir in 2004, eliminating key terrorists and earning the Sena Medal. Tragically, in March 2009, during a counter-terror operation in Kupwara, Sharma led an assault, neutralized threats, and saved comrades but was fatally wounded, receiving the Ashok Chakra posthumously—India’s highest peacetime gallantry award. Public speculation intensified post-release, with viewers noting visual and thematic parallels: Ranveer Singh’s bearded, intense portrayal echoed Sharma’s images, and both involved undercover work in hostile territories. Sharma’s family protested, claiming the film exploited his legacy without consent, prompting a Delhi High Court intervention for a private screening and CBFC review. Ultimately, the CBFC certified Dhurandhar as fiction, with director Aditya Dhar asserting it was a spy thriller, not a biopic. This ruling underscores the film’s divergence: Rangi’s recruitment from prison and focus on Pakistani gang infiltration contrast Sharma’s conventional military path and Kashmir operations.
Further fueling intrigue is the Easter egg connecting Dhurandhar to Uri: The Surgical Strike. In Uri, Flight Lieutenant Seerat Kaur (played by Kirti Kulhari) mentions her late husband, Captain Jaskirat Singh Rangi of the Punjab Regiment, martyred in an ambush in the Naushera Sector. This exact name reappears in Dhurandhar‘s reveal, sparking theories of a shared “Aditya Dhar Cinematic Universe.” Fans on social media have dissected viral clips, suggesting Rangi’s “death” in Uri could be a cover for his spy activities in Dhurandhar. However, timelines clash: Dhurandhar spans from 2002 onward, while Uri centers on the 2016 surgical strikes, making a literal crossover improbable. Instead, it seems a deliberate nod, echoed in Dhurandhar‘s post-credits scene referencing Uri‘s iconic “ye naya India hai” dialogue. Online communities, including Reddit’s r/pj_explained, view this as blending real RAW tactics—like recruiting assets from groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)—with fiction, akin to Quentin Tarantino’s selective use of history in Inglourious Basterds.
Public discourse on platforms amplifies these elements, with users expressing anticipation for Rangi’s expanded backstory in the upcoming Dhurandhar Part 2, slated for March 19, 2026. Posts describe him as a “seasoned Punjab Regiment martyr,” tying into the Naushera ambush narrative, but consensus holds that while inspired by broader intelligence practices under figures like Ajit Doval, Rangi himself is not historical.
In broader context, Dhurandhar exemplifies Bollywood’s evolving approach to patriotic cinema, balancing entertainment with sensitive topics like espionage and terrorism. The ensemble cast, including Akshaye Khanna as gangster Rehman Dakait (inspired by Rehman Baloch), Sanjay Dutt as a Pakistani cop, and R. Madhavan in a role echoing Ajit Doval, adds depth. Yet, the film’s adult certification and family objections underscore the ethical tightrope of portraying military figures. As Part 2 approaches, focusing on Rangi’s revenge arc, it promises to expand this fictional lore while respecting the line between inspiration and invention. Ultimately, while Rangi captivates as a symbol of covert heroism, exhaustive searches across military archives, news reports, and official statements reveal no real Captain Jaskirat Singh Rangi in Indian Army records, affirming his status as a compelling figment of cinematic imagination.
