NSA Ajit Doval Chilling Lahore Story Resurfaces Amid ‘Dhurandhar’ Buzz

New Delhi, December 16, 2025: The impending release of the spy-action film Dhurandhar, which draws inspiration from real Indian intelligence operations, has brought one of India’s most celebrated spymasters, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, back into the public focus. Specifically, the chilling account of his seven-year undercover stint in Pakistan, including a near-death encounter in Lahore, is captivating audiences and fueling discussions about the sacrifices made by India’s secret agents.

The Lahore Encounter: “Tum Hindu?”

The story that has particularly resonated is Doval’s account of being exposed in the heart of Pakistan. As an undercover operative, he lived in Lahore for seven years, posing as a Pakistani Muslim. On one occasion, while heading to a mosque to offer Namaaz (prayer) to maintain his cover, an elderly man approached him with a piercing, unnerving question: “Tum Hindu?” (Are you a Hindu?).

Doval was momentarily stunned. He later revealed that the man had noticed a piercing in his ear—a common, though not universal, cultural marker in some parts of India—which had almost blown his deep cover. Despite the shock, the seasoned agent calmly denied it, completed the prayer, and quietly left the area, successfully navigating a perilous situation that could have cost him his life. This anecdote highlights the extreme psychological pressure and ever-present danger faced by Indian operatives in hostile territory.

Dhurandhar and the Real Spy Narratives

The resurfacing of this story is closely linked to the film Dhurandhar. While the movie, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring R. Madhavan (who plays a character clearly inspired by Doval) and Ranveer Singh, is officially a fictional spy thriller, it is inspired by a “constellation of covert Indian intelligence efforts in Pakistan.”

The film, which reportedly delves into the shadowy world of real Indian intelligence operations, is helping to introduce the public to the lives of extraordinary agents. Besides the character inspired by Doval, the movie touches upon the complex backdrop of Karachi’s gang wars (Operation Lyari) and the legacy of other spies like Ravindra Kaushik, codenamed “The Black Tiger,” who rose to the rank of Major in the Pakistani Army before his identity was compromised.

The Legacy of the Spymaster

Ajit Doval, a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, is the country’s longest-serving NSA. His career is a testament to extraordinary courage and strategic acumen. His exploits include infiltrating the Golden Temple during Operation Black Thunder in 1988, posing as an ISI agent to gather intelligence on Khalistani separatists, and playing a key role in numerous high-stakes national security decisions, including the 2016 Uri surgical strike and the 2019 Balakot airstrike.

The renewed focus on Doval’s covert missions, spurred by the new film, underscores the often-unseen work of India’s intelligence agencies. The story of the Lahore encounter remains a powerful reminder of the incredible risks individuals take to safeguard national security, a theme that Dhurandhar attempts to bring to the silver screen for a new generation.