Mera Lyari: Pakistan's Film; An Alleged Rival To Dhurandhar, CRASHES At Box Office; Removed From Theatres

Pakistani drama Mera Lyari entered cinemas on 8 May with heavy discussion and comparisons to Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, yet reports now suggest the film has collapsed at the box office, with some theatres in Pakistan dropping it within days because of very low audience turnout and almost empty shows.

The film was promoted as a grounded portrait of Karachi's Lyari, a neighbourhood often linked with crime stories on screen, and early chatter framed it as a cinematic answer to the Dhurandhar franchise, which portrays Lyari through espionage, terror networks and high-intensity action rather than everyday community life.

Mera Lyari box office performance and theatre response

Coverage by Aaj Tak, citing Pakistani media, stated that Mera Lyari performed poorly from its opening shows, with approximate sales of only 22 tickets in total reported in some accounts, and that several cinemas removed scheduled screenings within a single day to make space for other films drawing stronger demand from local audiences.

In many locations, exhibition plans were reportedly scaled back almost immediately after opening weekend because of weak advance bookings, and theatre owners are said to have quickly shifted screens to other titles, reinforcing the view that pre-release discussion around Mera Lyari did not translate into sustained footfall or meaningful box office earnings.

Mera Lyari box office numbers and film details

Mera Lyari is directed by Abu Aleeha and features Ayesha Omar, Dananeer Mobeen, Samia Mumtaz and Trinette Lucas in central roles, and instead of spy action like Dhurandhar, the narrative focuses on women's football, community spirit and the daily struggles and hopes of young women footballers growing up in Lyari.

The project aimed to cast Lyari in a positive light by highlighting sport and resilience rather than gang violence, and publicity material stressed that the film sought a more balanced image for the area, which has often been reduced to stereotypes in popular culture despite a strong history of football and local activism.

Film	Country	Release status in Pakistan	Reported box office detail
Mera Lyari	Pakistan	Theatrical release on 8 May	Sold around 22 tickets, many shows cancelled
Dhurandhar	India	Not officially released	Reportedly watched through piracy at low prices

Before filming, Abu Aleeha spoke about shooting on real streets with strong local involvement, and local media quoted the director saying, "80 per cent of the cast, including supporting actors, members of the local football teams and even our hero Shoaib Hassan, are actual Lyari inhabitants".

Political interest around the project also added to the early buzz, as Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon publicly backed Mera Lyari at announcement stage and described it as a response to what was termed "negative propaganda" from India, with reports noting that the provincial information department had some role in supporting the film.

Dhurandhar itself sparked discussion in India by linking Lyari with crime and terrorism, and although the film never had an official Pakistani release, reports say it still reached viewers there through piracy at very low prices, while Dhurandhar 2 later went on to dethrone Pathaan as the highest-grossing Hindi film in the UK, with Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham still remaining in the Top 10 after decades.

Because of that portrayal, some viewers criticised Dhurandhar for presenting Lyari as mainly a hub for illegal activity, and Mera Lyari was seen by supporters as an answer to that image, yet despite this intention, the political support and the heavy discussion around representation, the film's theatrical run has ended quickly with negligible box office presence, as reported.

The coverage around Mera Lyari now centres less on its storyline and more on the commercial setback, while the careers of the cast and director, along with discussions about Lyari's image on screen, are likely to continue in other projects, with entertainment journalist and Sub Editor Palak Vij documenting these developments after over a year of reporting on films, television and wider pop culture.