Mera Lyari, which was positioned as Pakistan's response to Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, has reportedly suffered a disastrous box office run within days of release, with local media claiming the film sold just 22 tickets in some theatres before screenings were pulled. Meanwhile, the Ranveer Singh-starrer Bollywood spy thriller continues its massive global run after crossing Rs 1,350 crore worldwide.
While Mera Lyari struggled to bring audiences to cinemas, Dhurandhar continued its dominant global run by crossing Rs 1,350 crore worldwide. The Indian film earned Rs 895.96 crore net in India, with its gross domestic collection touching Rs 1,057.8 crore. Overseas, the film reportedly collected another Rs 293.03 crore.
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Screenings Stopped Within A Day
Directed by Abu Aleeha, Mera Lyari was released on May 8 and was promoted as a sports drama focused on women's football in Karachi's Lyari area. However, the film reportedly witnessed extremely weak occupancy from its opening day.
According to local reports, several theatres pulled the film within a day due to negligible audience turnout. Some reports even claimed that only 22 tickets were sold in certain locations, forcing cinema owners to replace the movie with titles that had stronger demand.
Film Reflects “Positive Face” Of Lyari
The film gained political attention even before its release. Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon publicly supported the project and described it as a response to what he called “negative portrayals from India.”
When the movie was announced last year, Memon had criticised Dhurandhar as “yet another example of negative propaganda by the Indian film industry against Pakistan.” He also said Mera Lyari would present “the true face of Lyari: peace, prosperity, and pride.”
Unlike the dark and crime-heavy world shown in Dhurandhar, Mera Lyari focused on community life, young dreams and women's football.
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Two Portrayals Of Lyari
Mera Lyari featured actors including Ayesha Omar, Dananeer Mobeen, Samina Mumtaz and Trinette Lucas. The story follows a disabled football coach who returns to Lyari to train young girls hoping to compete at the national level, while dealing with family and social restrictions.
Meanwhile, Dhurandhar starred Ranveer Singh as an Indian spy infiltrating a criminal network in Karachi's Lyari during the mid-2000s. The sharp contrast between the two films' portrayal of Lyari had already sparked heated debate online even before Mera Lyari hit theatres.
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