The Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking Centre’s intervention in lifting the ban on Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller Dhurandhar in Middle Eastern countries.

In its letter, IMPPA said the film starring Ranveer Singh has not been released in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. The producers’ body described the ban as “unilateral and uncalled for” stating that it amounts to a violation of the filmmakers’ freedom of expression.

“We earnestly appeal to your kind self to intervene regarding the unilateral and uncalled-for ban imposed on the film Dhurandhar by the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Our member producer has made this film and has released the same after getting certification by the Central Board of Film Certification,” the letter said.

“The ban imposed by the above countries is a suppression of the Freedom of Expression of our member, as the film has emerged as one of the biggest hits in Indian cinema,” it added.

Dhurandhar was certified with an A certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) ahead of its release in December. Since then, it has emerged as one of the biggest hits in Indian cinema history and is currently the highest-grossing Hindi film in India.

IMPPA urged the Prime Minister and the central government to take up the matter with the concerned authorities to help revoke the ban.

“We, as representatives of the largest and oldest Producers' Association, IMPPA, request you earnestly with folded hands to kindly intervene, as the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia are India-friendly countries, and we conduct regular business with them across multiple sectors,” they wrote in the letter.

“We therefore humbly request that the Government of India take up this matter with the concerned authorities in these countries and make efforts to ensure that freedom of expression is respected and the ban is revoked at the earliest,” the letter, signed by IMPPA President Abhay Sinha, added.

A spy thriller, Dhurandhar also stars Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and R Madhavan. The film has earned Rs 1,230 crore worldwide, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing Indian film of all time. It is also the only Bollywood film to have earned Rs 800 crore net in India.

A sequel to Dhurandhar is scheduled for release on March 19.