Border 2 ‘banned’ in Middle East: Like Dhurandhar, Sunny Deol film won’t release in Gulf over ‘anti-Pakistan’ sentiment
The new movie Border 2 is coming out in India soon. Border 2 is the sequel to the movie Border that J.P. Dutta made in 1997. The old movie Border was a war drama. It had Sunny Deol in it. Now Border 2 has Sunny Deol and a lot of actors in it.. Border 2 is having some problems. Some countries in the Gulf do not want to show Border 2 in their movie theaters. These countries are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. They do not want to show Border 2 because they think it is, against Pakistan. They think Border 2 has -Pakistan themes. This is what is happening now: Dhurandhar, a film that is about being patriotic was not allowed to be shown in the same places a few weeks ago. This news makes us think about how the government controls what movies people can see how different regions feel about things the power of movies to influence people how movies are sold around the world and how movies can affect the way countries get along with each other like Dhurandhar and other movies, like it.
Below I will talk about what has been reported about the Gulf censors. I will explain why the Gulf censors react this way. I will also look at what happened with Gulf films. The Gulf bans have an effect, on the box office and how movies are distributed. The Gulf bans also have a lot of cultural meaning. I will think about what the filmmakers and the people who distribute the movies might do. I will consider what people who like to watch movies should expect to happen in the coming months with the Gulf bans and the Gulf censors and the Gulf films.
So what exactly happened. I want to know the facts that occurred right away. The immediate facts are what I am looking for. I need to understand what the immediate facts are.
Indian media outlets said that the people in charge of movies in the Gulf area did not allow Border 2 to be shown in some countries.
LiveMint and other news channels like NDTV and India Today are saying that movie people are telling them Border 2 was not allowed to be shown in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The reason for this is that Border 2 has things in it that’re against Pakistan.
This is not the time something like this has happened.
The people, in charge also did not allow another big Bollywood movie called Dhurandhar to be shown because it had problems.
People in India who write for newspapers and other places that talk about trade said that the people who made Border 2 tried to get permission to show the movie in some countries but they did not succeed. Border 2 is a movie that some people wanted to see in countries. The people who wanted to show Border 2 in countries were hoping they would get permission until the very end but they knew it was not likely to happen. Other people who know about movies said that some other movies like Gadar 2 and Dhurandhar that have stories were not allowed to be shown in some parts of the Middle East. This probably made the people, in charge think that Border 2 would not be allowed either. Border 2 and these other movies have some things in common.
The Indian central censor board and the people who made the movie were also asked to make some changes to the movie so it can be shown in India. They had to remove or change things like the flag on airplanes or change the name of a warship. These changes are different from the reason why some countries, in the Gulf did not want to show the movie. The Indian central censor board and the producers had to make these changes to get the movie approved in India.
Why do Gulf countries block some films: the short answer
Gulf countries block some Indian films because they do not like the things that Indian films show. Indian films are very popular in Gulf countries. However Gulf countries have some rules about what can be shown in movies.
Sometimes Indian films do not follow these rules. This is why Gulf countries block some films. They block films that show things that are not allowed.
The rules in Gulf countries are very strict. They do not allow films that have bad things in them. Indian films that have things in them are allowed.
Gulf countries block films that they think are bad, for people. They want to protect their people from things. This is why they block some films. Indian films that are blocked in Gulf countries are not shown there.
The people in charge of deciding what movies can be shown in the Gulf have reasons for saying no to foreign films. They think about the laws that are supposed to keep people behaving in public. They also think about keeping the country safe and making sure everyone gets along. Then there is the money side of things. They do not want to make any other country angry. If a movie shows a lot of fighting or hatred between groups of people the Gulf people might not let it be shown. This is because they do not want people to get upset or angry and they do not want to have problems with countries. The Gulf people do not want movies that make one country look bad, to another country. They just want to keep everything peaceful.
In the pattern that we see with movies like Border 2 and Dhurandhar the thing that causes the problem’s the way the India-Pakistan conflict is shown. The Gulf authorities think that the India-Pakistan conflict is shown in a way that’s not fair to Pakistan. The Gulf countries have a lot of people from Pakistan living there. They have good relations with Pakistan. So the people who decide what movies can be shown in these countries are careful about showing movies that might upset Pakistan. They do not want to show movies like Border 2 and Dhurandhar because they think these movies are, against Pakistan. The people in charge might be worried that movies playing in theaters could cause people to protest or that it could lead to problems between groups of people in the same area or even complaints from other countries. The regulators might think that box-office runs could lead to friction, among local communities or that it could lead to diplomatic complaints. Box-office runs are something that the regulators are watching closely.
The Gulf region has a lot of rules about what can and cannot be shown in movies. It is not about the movies themselves but also about what is happening in the region and how people might react when films talk about sensitive topics that people do not agree on. The Gulf region is very careful about the movies they allow because they do not want to upset anyone. The movies have to be careful not to say anything, about the Gulf region or its history.
A short history: this is not the first time
This is something that has been happening for a while now not a one time thing. Indian films that are about patriotism being proud of your country or war have been having a time getting shown in other countries. This has been going on since year and it is still happening this season. Indian films, with these kinds of themes are finding it hard to get to screens.
Gadar 2 and other big patriotic movies like Gadar 2 had to deal with the issues in some countries, outside of India. When this happened the news said that even though these bans mean Gadar 2 and other patriotic films do not make money in those places it does not mean Gadar 2 and other patriotic films will not do well and make money in their country.
Dhurandhar, with Ranveer Singh in it did not get to play in theaters in some Gulf countries for the reasons. People who follow movie business said that not showing Dhurandhar, in Gulf countries did affect how money the movie was expected to make but it did not stop Dhurandhar from doing really well in its own country.
When a big India-Pakistan movie comes out it usually happens like this: the movie is very patriotic. That makes some other countries uncomfortable. So Gulf censors will not let people see it.. This does not really affect how many people see the movie in its own country. Now people who know about the movie business think this is what will happen every time a major India-Pakistan themed film is released. Because this keeps happening the people who make and sell movies are being more careful about what they show in countries. They are also careful about how they show the guys and national symbols, in the India-Pakistan movies.
So how much money is really lost when we think about it? The amount of money that is actually lost is something that we should consider. When we talk about money being lost we are talking about the money that is lost.
The Gulf, the United Arab Emirates is an important market for Bollywood movies but it is not the biggest one. Before the pandemic and in the few years people from India who live in other countries have helped Bollywood movies do well all around the world. This includes people living in the United Kingdom, North America, Australia, New Zealand and many other people from South Asia who live in East Africa and the Gulf. For Bollywood movies that’re good for families and are likely to make a lot of money the Gulf can be a significant source of income from when the movies are shown in theaters and, from the rights to show them on television or streaming services later on. Bollywood movies can make a lot of money from the Gulf.
The real money that films lose from a ban in the Gulf is different for each movie. For Dhurandhar people who write about the film industry said that the movie missed out on tens of crores of rupees. This is a lot of money hundreds of millions of rupees. For Border 2 people in the film industry said that the ban, in the Gulf would be sad. It would not be a complete disaster. The success of a movie depends on a things. How many theaters the movie will be shown in is important. The movies release in the Gulf region is a deal. We need to know how screens the movie will be on and how much money it will make each week. It also matters if the people who made the movie sold the rights to stream it or show it on TV in countries or as a big package. Some people who make movies try to reduce their risk by selling the rights to show the movie on streaming services and satellites over the world. This can be done without worrying about showing the movie in theaters, in some countries. The movies streaming and TV rights can be sold in ways.
A Gulf ban is a financial problem but it does not always change how much money a movie makes in total. This is because the movie can still do well in its country and it can still make money from television and streaming deals that were made before the ban. A Gulf ban can be a deal but it often does not affect the overall result, for the movie.
Distribution and certification: different gates, different rules
It is helpful to separate two decision points:
The Central Board of Film Certification in India looks at movies before they are shown in India. They can ask for parts to be cut out things like props or names to be changed or they can give the movie a rating based on how you have to be to see it. The Central Board of Film Certification makes these decisions based on the laws in India and the rules they have to follow. For the movie Border 2 newspapers in the area said that the Central Board of Film Certification wanted some small changes to be made. For example they wanted a flag on a plane to be changed or the name of a warship to be changed so that the movie could be certified. The Central Board of Film Certification does this so that movies follow the rules for certification, in India. The changes they made are meant to be okay with the laws and feelings of people in India. These changes are different from what another country might do when they completely ban something. The edits are, for India and they want to make sure Indian people are not upset by what they see.
When it comes to showing movies in countries, each country or region has its own people who decide what movies can be shown in theaters. The people in charge of The Gulf get to make their decisions about what movies to allow. They can say no to a movie if it goes against their laws, about keeping the peace dealing with other countries or following religious and ethical rules. These decisions are made separately so a movie can be allowed in India. Not allowed somewhere else.. That is exactly what has been happening with some movies lately. The Gulf makes its decisions and these decisions are final. A movie can be cleared for showing in India. The Gulf can still say no to it if it does not follow their rules.
This thing with two ways of looking at it means that the people who make movies and shows often have backup plans. They do things like rerecording voices or editing the movie to make it okay for other countries. The people who make these movies and shows also rely on the rights to show them online to make money when they cannot show them in theaters. The dual-gate reality is a deal, for producers because it affects how they make money from their movies and shows.
Politics, diaspora communities and the Gulf’s special sensitivity
To understand how the Gulf reacts you need to know about the people who live there and the politics of the area. The Gulf countries have a lot of foreigners living there like people from India and Pakistan. They have an impact on what happens in the country. For some of these countries Pakistan is like a neighbor. They have a strong connection with them. If a movie shows Pakistan in a way it can cause trouble. So the people, in charge of deciding what movies can be shown try to avoid problems by being very careful. They do not want to show a movie that will make people angry especially when it comes to Pakistan. The Gulf countries and Pakistan have a relationship and they do not want to do anything that will hurt that.
The Gulf states have to be careful with their relationships with countries both in their area and around the world. They do not want to do anything that might upset this balance. The Gulf states are also careful about how things look they do not want it to seem like they are taking one side in a disagreement that has been going on for a time.
When movies show wars and make it seem like some countries are totally against each other this can be a problem for the Gulf states. The Gulf states get more sensitive about these things when a movie comes out at the same time as something big is happening locally or when there is a lot of tension in the area. The Gulf states have to think about how the movies they show will affect their relationships with countries like the relationships, with multiple powers.
Lastly it is worth noting the role of sentiment and social media. Public sentiment and social media play a part in this. In the media environment we have today anything that gets people upset can spread fast. The risk of sentiment and social media. Whether it is real or not. Often affects the decision of a censor to block a title before it even happens. Public sentiment and social media are very powerful.
Free speech vs. sovereign discretion
The word “ban” usually makes people think about freedom of speech: is the government stopping artists from creating? Who gets to decide what people can watch? These are questions to ask. But when it comes to showing movies in countries each place gets to make its own rules: they can choose to show a movie or not show it. This is not the same as the government controlling what people can say or do it is each country following its own laws and doing what it thinks is best for itself. The government of each country has the power to say what movies can be shown in that country and this power is based on the laws and interests of that country like the movie “ban”, in some countries.
For people who make movies the problem is simple: they want to express themselves. They also need to think about how to get their movies to people. Movie directors who want to tell stories about their country know that these stories might be really popular at home. People in other countries might not like them. This has led to two things happening: some movie makers make changes to the movie to make it less upsetting for people in countries while others say that telling the story they want to tell is more important even if it means not as many people get to see it. Movie makers like these are prioritizing the story they want to tell in their country and they are not as worried about showing it to people, in other countries.
The piracy and streaming angle
When something like this is banned people can still see it. They just get it from places, like pirated copies or special streaming sites that need a secret code. Some people also share it with each other. This is what happened with Dhurandhar. People were still able to watch it even though it was not supposed to be shown in some areas. The same thing will probably happen with Border 2 if people really want to see it. It is funny that banning something from theaters can actually make it easier for people to get it from places that are not official. These other places are harder to control and do not make money for the people who made the movie.
So global streaming platforms are making things more complicated. These platforms, like OTT services buy rights to show movies in areas. They decide who can see a movie and who cannot based on where they’re in the world. If movie makers have already sold the rights to stream their movie everywhere they can still get their movie there even if it cannot be shown in theaters.. The money they get from streaming is very different, from the money they get from people going to see the movie in a theater. Global streaming platforms are really changing the way movies are seen. Movie makers who sell streaming rights to streaming platforms can still reach people even if their movie is not shown in theaters.
Cultural diplomacy and reputational stakes
Movies are really important for more than having fun. They can actually influence how people think about a country. If a movie shows someone from another country in a way it can hurt how people feel about that country and make it harder for them to get along. Sometimes governments use the movie business to show their country in a light. Times they care about how people in other countries think about their movies because it can affect how many tourists visit how much trade they do and even how well they get along with other countries. Movies like these can really shape what people think about a place and its people. That is why they are so important for things, like tourism and diplomacy. Films are a deal because they can change how people see a country and its people. The Gulf ban pattern shows that regulators have a way of thinking. They are careful about allowing stories that could make things worse between countries to be told in public. The regulators do not want these stories to be shared because they think it could hurt how people in countries see each other. The Gulf ban pattern is about regulators being cautious, with the stories that are shared in public.
For filmmakers the situation is not simple. A ban in the Gulf can be a problem. It can cost them money.. If a film is really popular in India and does well at the box office like Dhurandhar did it can actually help Indian filmmakers and make India look good to its own people. Even if it does not impress everyone. The thing is, when a film gets banned in another country it does not usually cause problems for India that last a long time. These bans are a sign of how different countries tell their stories and how people around the world feel about things. Indian filmmakers and Indian films are what matter and how Indian films are received in India and in other countries is what is important, for Indian filmmakers and Indian films.
So what is the industry going to do. The industry will probably make some changes. People, in the industry are thinking about what to do. The industry is trying to figure out its move. What the industry decides to do will be important.
People, in the industry usually do a things that you can expect:
The people who made the movie should accept that they will not make much money as they thought. They will have to change their ideas about how money the movie will make. The movie makers will look at how money the movie makes in the country and how much money they already got from selling the movie to streaming services and satellite companies. This will help them make the money they need.
Some people who write about the movie business say that the people who made Border 2 are not too worried, about the movie being banned in the Gulf. This is because the movie is doing well in the country and that will help make up for the money they are losing in the Gulf. The movie Border 2 is still going to make a lot of money from the people who watch it in the country.
To get a movie ready for countries people who make the movie have to make some changes for export. If the censors do not like something like a certain word or picture the people who help get the movie to other countries might suggest making a different version of the movie called the international version. This takes time and the people who make the movie have to talk to the regulators in countries and work with them. The regulators, in the movie makers own country may also want some changes to be made to the movie, which makes the job of the people who make the movie harder. The people who make the movie have to do all of this before the movie is released which can be very difficult to do in one day.
If a movie cannot be shown in theaters in an area the people who make the movie and the people who distribute it may decide to make it available for streaming sooner. They may also try to find ways to license the movie to streaming services that people in that area can use so they can still watch the movie. This helps the people who make the movie get back some of the money they spent. It also lets the audience watch the movie even if it is not playing in theaters. The movie is still only available, in areas because of the rules of the streaming services.
We need to talk to movie studios and the people who help get movies out to the public in a friendly way. Sometimes these big studios and distributors will ask the people who work at embassies or the people in charge of culture to help bring up the issue. They do this when they think they will be working with these places for a time. The people who work at embassies or the people in charge of culture can help because they have a lot of influence. Whether or not talking to them works depends on how bad the problem’s what is going on in the country at the time. Movie studios and distributors have to be careful when they deal with issues like this because the outcome is not always certain. Movie studios and distributors need to think about the picture and how their actions will affect their relationships, with these places in the long run.
Broader implications: narratives, timing and creative choices
For filmmakers and screenwriters the pattern of bans that keeps happening is something they have to think about when they’re working on a project. If a film is about a war between countries and it is told from one sides point of view the filmmakers have to make a decision. They have to decide if they want to:
* stay true to the story of one nation and know that not many people in countries will get to see the film
* make a film that is more about people and how they suffer and do not directly blame one side for what happened
* make two different versions of the film, one for each market so filmmakers can show the film to more people. The filmmakers have to think about what they want to do with the film. The pattern of bans is something that filmmakers have to consider when they are making a film about war, between nations. The people who make choices will think about what will sell. If they want to sell their work in countries they might change it so it does not seem too focused on one place. This means the teams that create the work might leave out some things or change the way they present it so it is not so obviously one state or country. Artistic choices, like these will reflect what they hope to achieve.
People who watch movies and critics will see how movies like Border 2 are made with these limitations. Will movies that are sequels and big films about patriotism show things in a way so they can be sold to other countries?. Will the people who make these movies focus on stories that happen in their own country because they know a lot of people will watch them at home? The answer will be different for each movie maker. The story they want to tell with movies, like Border 2.
Here is what people who are watching should know at this moment. Viewers should know some things right now. What viewers should know now is that there are a few things to consider. Viewers should be aware of these things.
The movie Border 2 has come out in India and some other places that said it was okay to show it. People are saying it will not be shown in some countries in the Gulf because Border 2 has some parts that people, in Pakistan might not like.
This comes after a lot of times when people said the same thing, like what happened with Dhurandhar. The Gulf has banned things before. This is not the first time it has happened to movies, like these Dhurandhar films.
The thing that really matters for a movies box office is how well it does at home and if it has already made some money from other sources. In the past even if a movie did not do well in some places it could still make a lot of money overall if it was a hit in its own country. This is what happened with some movies. They did very well at home and that helped them make excellent money in total even if they were not shown in some other places like the Gulf. The movies domestic performance is very important, for its box office.
Final takeaways: art, market and geopolitics
The Border 2 situation is a good example of what is happening with movies and politics today. It shows how the stories we see in movies the ones about real wars and countries that do not get along are affected by many things. These things include what the people who made the movie wanted to say, who is going to show the movie and what the governments of countries think. The decisions that Gulf countries make about what movies to allow or not allow show that The Border 2 movies success is not just up, to the people who made it or the people who watch it but the politics of the countries where The Border 2 movie is shown. The Border 2 situation is an example of how The Border 2 movie can be affected by all these things.
For people who make movies there is a lesson to learn: if you want your movie to be shown everywhere the story is important not just for people in your own country but also for how people in other countries will understand it. For people who watch movies this is a reminder that movies and other forms of culture are shared around the world because of things: it is not just about what people like it is also about laws people moving to other countries relationships, between countries and the careful nature of people who make sure everything runs smoothly and safely in public.
Finally, for industry watchers, the economics are clear: despite the headline drama of a ban, blockbuster Hindi films can still triumph commercially without every international window. But for the cultural ecosystem — for soft power, for shared understanding, and for diasporic community relations — the recurring bans raise harder questions about whether there isn’t room for stories that both honour national memory and navigate the sensitivities of a closely connected world.
