Amid Dhurandhar Craze, Raazi Author Calls Out Meghna Gulzar For Ruining Alia Bhatt’s Film

Dhurandhar isn’t Bollywood’s first espionage film. There have been many that came and went, some weren’t received well by audiences and some they fell in love with. From Baby to Raazi, strong spy films have always been part of the core. However, they have lacked the kind of monumental fame that Aditya Dhar has been getting lately.

The author of the Alia Bhatt is now calling out Meghna Gulzar for botching the vision of his book and how the character was changed in a way he simply wasn’t ok with.

Raazi author calls out Meghna Gulzar

Harinder S Sikka took to Raazi was very well accepted when it first came out with Alia Bhatt as its lead. However, it was nowhere near how the author had imagined the film to be.

Calling Sehmat, Raazi ranks among the top books on espionage ever written, globally. It exposes Pakistan across the border, hostile forces in Bollywood & a Punjab-based criminals within.”

He continued, “Appointing Meghna Gulzar was my gravest misjudgement. Despite clear warnings, I failed to foresee how ideological bias would end up diminishing the true spirit of the protagonist. Nearly two decades later, the book continues to leave its mark across the world. Penguin best sellers; Vichhoda, Gobind, The Chabimaster are being scripted, for our beautiful nation deserves to see the complete truth.”

He was furious with how the film turned out, despite his better judgement. According to the author, relying on Meghna Gulzar was a mistake because of her biases. With Dhurandhar only gaining more and more fame, this revelation could not have come at a more convenient time.

Fans agree with Harinder Sikka

Fans who read the original book agreed with Harinder Sikka, but were uncertain of why he would call out the director right when Dhurandhar: The Revengewas at its peak. The book portrayed the character of Sehmat Seyd very differently as compared to how Alia Bhatt’s film version was.

Others believe that watching Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar: The Revenge must have been like rubbing salt on an opened wound. Aditya Dhar executed a very impeccable espionage film, and Sikka believes that his story also deserved something similar.

Amid the resounding success of “Dhurandhar”, author Harinder Sikka has expressed regret over the cinematic adaptation of his 2008 espionage novel Calling Sehmat, which inspired the 2018 film “Raazi” starring Alia Bhatt and directed by Meghna Gulzar.

Sikka took to X, where he first shared a picture of a stack of books such as “An Indian Spy In Pakistan”, “Plot, Lies & Deceit Pulwama & Balakot”, “Terrorism and Insurgency”, “Calling Sehmat”, “Mission Overseas”, “The Unending Game” and “The Spy Chronicles”.

A text overlay read: “Dhurandhar 2 gave you a cinematic glimpse. Here’s where the real story begins.”

Sikka said the book continues to rank among the most influential espionage works globally, adding that it sheds light on cross-border tensions, hostile elements within the film industry, and criminal networks rooted in Punjab. However, he believes the film failed to capture the essence of the original narrative.

“Calling Sehmat #Raazi ranks among the top books on espionage ever written, globally. It exposes Pakistan across border, hostile forces in Bollywood & a Punjab-based criminals within,” he wrote on

Calling the decision to bring Meghna Gulzar on board his “gravest misjudgment”, the author said that despite receiving clear warnings, he did not anticipate how ideological bias would dilute the protagonist’s true spirit on screen.

“Appointing Meghna Gulzar was my gravest misjudgment. Despite clear warnings, I failed to foresee how ideological bias would end up diminishing the true spirit of the protagonist,” he added.

Reflecting on the journey of Calling Sehmat, Sikka noted that nearly two decades since its release, the book continues to resonate with readers worldwide and remains amongst the bestsellers.

“Nearly two decades later, the book continues to leave its mark across the world. Penguin best sellers; Vichhoda, Gobind, The Chabimaster are being scripted, for our beautiful nation deserves to see the complete truth,” added Sikka.

Raazi also stars Vicky Kaushal, Rajit Kapur, Shishir Sharma, and Jaideep Ahlawat. The film is an adaptation of Sikka’s 2008 novel Calling Sehmat, a true account of an Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent who, upon her father’s request, is married into a family of military officers in Pakistan to relay information to India, prior to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Amid the craze of Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar 2, author Harinder Sikka, whose book, Calling Sehmat, went on to become Alia Bhatt‘s Raazi, has said that he regrets ‘appointing’ director Meghna Gulzar for the film. He penned a lengthy note stating that while many cautioned him against letting Meghna adapt his book, he regrets not listening to them. He also explained why, despite the naysayers, he agreed to let Meghna make Raazi.

Someone commented under Sikka’s post,

“But despite the warning, you still trusted her? Why? Ask this question to urself until you get the honest answer.” He replied, “Errors don’t always come from stupidity. They often come from underestimating how shrewd or deceitful someone can be.”

For the unversed, Sikka took to A text overlay read: “Dhurandhar 2 gave you a cinematic glimpse. Here’s where the real story begins.”

“Calling Sehmat #Raazi ranks among the top books on espionage ever written, globally. It exposes Pakistan across border, hostile forces in Bollywood & a Punjab-based criminals within,” he wrote on “Appointing Meghna Gulzar was my gravest misjudgment. Despite clear warnings, I failed to foresee how ideological bias would end up diminishing the true spirit of the protagonist,” he added.

Reflecting on the journey of Calling Sehmat, Sikka noted that nearly two decades since its release, the book continues to resonate with readers worldwide and remains amongst the bestsellers.

Despite Sikka’s regrets, Raazi remains one of Indian cinema’s most acclaimed films. The 2018 spy drama was praised for breaking away from the typical high-decibel spy thriller format and instead focusing on emotional depth and human conflict. Many critics highlighted how the film replaced spectacle with sensitivity. Reviews consistently praised the film for its restricted storytelling, with emphasis on realism rather than jingoism.

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