The family of late Ashok Chakra awardee Major Mohit Sharma has moved the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the release of the upcoming Ranveer Singh–starrer film Dhurandhar. According to the petition, the film draws inspiration from the life and counter-terrorism operations of the Army officer, but the makers allegedly did not take permission or consult the family at any stage of production.
The petition names the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI), director and co-producer Aditya Dhar, and producer Jio Studios as respondents.
The family has argued that the trailer features real incidents from Major Sharma’s military service, including sensitive combat events. They claim that such depictions violate the martyr’s posthumous privacy, dignity and personality rights under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Further, the petition states that Major Sharma’s life cannot be treated as a commercial product for profit without preserving truth, dignity and obtaining proper approval from the family. The parents have also flagged concerns related to national security, stating that the trailer portrays combat strategies, military tactics and operational procedures without clearance from the ADGPI — the authority that regulates how the Indian Army is represented in films.
In light of these issues, the family has requested the Delhi High Court to stay the release of the film and order a special screening for family members before any public release.
The matter is expected to be heard next week. Advocates Roopenshu Pratap Singh and Manish Sharma are representing Major Sharma’s family.
