Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has stirred a major political row by invoking the villainous ‘Rehman Dakait’ character from the recent blockbuster film Dhurandhar to launch a veiled attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, accusing past administrations of looting Mumbai’s treasury through the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
During a debate in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on December 14, Shinde questioned, “Who is this Rehman Dakait who has plundered Mumbai’s treasury? History has seen the rise and fall of many such dacoits. Without naming Thackeray, he alluded to the undivided Shiv Sena’s long dominance over the BMC, alleging widespread corruption. He asserted that the ruling Mahayuti alliance would deliver a fitting response, declaring, “After winning the municipal elections, Mahayuti will emerge as the real ‘Dhurandhar’.”
The remarks, referencing Akshaye Khanna’s portrayal of the notorious gangster in the film, come amid heightened tensions ahead of civic polls, including the crucial BMC elections scheduled for January 15, 2026.
Shiv Sena (UBT) retaliated sharply. Aditya Thackeray dismissed the jibe, stating Shinde “himself doesn’t know where the smoke is coming from.” Party leader Anand Dubey countered, “We don’t know who Rehman Dakait is in films, but we do know someone looted a party and committed dacoity on it.”
As alliances gear up for the high-stakes municipal battles, Shinde’s cinematic barb has amplified accusations of graft and betrayal, deepening the rift between the rival Sena factions and setting the tone for a fiercely-contested electoral showdown.