Widow of Karachi Hero SP Chaudhry Aslam Condemns Film
News Desk
Islamabad: In the midst of cinematic excitement over Aditya Dhar’s upcoming spy thriller Dhurandhar, a voice from Pakistan has risen in protest. Noreen Aslam, widow of Shaheed SP Chaudhry Aslam Khan, has publicly condemned what she describes as a disrespectful portrayal of her late husband in the film’s trailer.
SP Chaudhry Aslam Khan is a name etched in Pakistan’s fight against terrorism and organised crime. Serving as the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Karachi’s anti-terror unit, he became a national symbol of courage and sacrifice when he was martyred in a suicide attack in 2014.
The controversy centers on a line in the trailer where a character allegedly refers to Aslam as “the offspring of the devil and a djinn.” Speaking on a Dialogue Pakistan podcast, Noreen Aslam expressed her anger and heartbreak over the remark, warning of legal action if her husband’s legacy is misrepresented.
“We are Muslims, and such words are disrespectful not only to Aslam but to his mother, who was a simple, honest woman. If I see my husband being portrayed wrongly or any propaganda against him in the film, I will definitely take all the legal steps I can,” she said.
Born Muhammad Aslam Khan in 1963 in Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, SP Chaudhry Aslam rose through the ranks of the Sindh Police in the 1980s.
Over the decades, he became a formidable force against Karachi’s underworld, first as SHO of Gulbahar Police Station and later as the leader of the Lyari Task Force, dismantling violent gangs that had terrorized the city.
Aslam survived a major Taliban attack in 2011 but ultimately gave his life defending Pakistan in 2014.
Over his career, he played a key role in high-profile operations, including the arrests of Saulat Mirza and notorious gangster Uzair Baloch, actions that not only restored the writ of the state in Karachi’s most dangerous neighborhoods but also drew attention from broader regional intelligence narratives.
His widow also recalled that her husband had admired Sanjay Dutt, who portrays him in the film, since watching Khalnayak in the 1990s. Yet admiration for an actor cannot erase the pain of seeing a national hero reduced to a derogatory caricature in a cinematic trailer.
Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, and R Madhavan, is loosely inspired by Operation Lyari, presenting an Indian intelligence-centric interpretation of events.
Ranveer Singh’s character, Hamza Ali Mazari, is an undercover operative whose fictionalized narrative of revenge has drawn criticism for oversimplifying and politicising Pakistan’s complex security history.
For Noreen Aslam and many Pakistanis, the message is clear: SP Chaudhry Aslam Khan was a brave officer who laid down his life for the nation, and attempts to sensationalize or disrespect his legacy will meet resistance.
As the trailer sparks debate, the story of Pakistan’s martyr-cop reminds audiences that some legacies transcend cinematic dramatization—they demand truth, respect, and remembrance.
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