Dhurandhar Real Life Characters: The Story of Rehman Dakait, Chaudhry Aslam, and Lyari’s Underworld

Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar has drawn attention for its gritty portrayal of characters inspired by real-life figures and underworld legends. Among them, the most discussed is Pakistani gangster Rehman Dakait, brought to life by Akshaye Khanna. His explosive entry on the Bahraini track FA9LA has sparked online debate, with many viewers questioning how accurately the film reflects the notorious Karachi criminal.

While the movie presents Rehman as a man built on terror, his real story is far more complex-marked by childhood brutality, family fractures, and the violent politics of Lyari's gang wars. Alongside him, the film introduces a character inspired by Chaudhry Aslam Khan, a controversial Pakistani police officer whose fight against gang violence made him legendary. Here's a closer look at the real-life character behind Dhurandhar's feared antagonist.

Early Life and Violent Beginnings

The real Rehman Dakait was born Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch in 1979, the son of Karachi underworld figure Mohammad Daddal. Growing up inside a criminal household, Rehman's exposure to guns, gang rivalries and street violence started early. Local accounts suggest he committed his first killings at around 13, setting him on a path that would define the Lyari underworld for the next two decades.

A Family Tragedy That Changed Everything

One of the darkest chapters in Rehman's life involves his mother, Khadija Bibi. According to several reports, Rehman believed she was involved in an affair with Iqbal-who was also accused of murdering his father. The claims say that at around 15, Rehman shot his mother three times, slit her throat and buried her secretly.

Other versions differ on the exact details, but nearly all sources note that this violent rupture within the family marked a turning point. With the father gone and the family shattered, Rehman began consolidating control over the gang networks linked to his father.

Rise in Lyari's Underworld

By the late 1990s, Rehman had joined the powerful Lyari-based syndicate of gangster Haji Lalu. Lyari, known for its entrenched gang culture, became the centre of his operations. When Haji Lalu was arrested in 2001, Rehman is said to have taken full charge of the organisation, gaining access to its revenue flows, manpower and influence.

Between 2001 and 2009, Rehman Dakait became one of Pakistan's most feared gang leaders. Reports describe a violent command structure where he operated alongside:

Uzair Baloch - cousin and second-in-command

Baba Ladla - feared enforcer associated with brutal killings

One chilling claim even alleges that Baba Ladla and Uzair Baloch once played football with severed enemy heads on Rehman's orders-a detail that has often resurfaced in discussions on Lyari's darkest period.

SP Chaudhry Aslam

In the 2000s, Lyari became a battlefield. Gang wars claimed hundreds of lives, while drugs, extortion, and arms trafficking flourished. Political patronage from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) allowed criminal networks to operate with impunity, turning the area into a 'no-go zone.'

It was during this period that Chaudhry Aslam Khan-dubbed "Pakistan's Dirty Harry"-emerged as a formidable force. Joining the Sindh Police in the 1980s, Aslam led the Crime Investigation Department (CID) and the Lyari Task Force, taking ruthless action against both gangs and the Taliban.

In 2009, he killed Rehman Dakait in a police encounter-widely disputed as a "fake encounter."

Later, in 2012, he led Operation Lyari, targeting Uzair Baloch's gang, which resulted in 12 police casualties.

Sanjay Dutt's character in Dhurandhar draws inspiration from Aslam: a cigarette-smoking, gun-toting figure reflecting his fearsome reputation. Aslam continued to face threats from the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and was ultimately killed in a suicide bombing on January 9, 2014. His death marked the end of an era in Lyari's violent history.

Timeline of Key Events Linked to Rehman Dakait

• 1979 - Born in Karachi to gangster Mohammad Daddal
• Early teens - Alleged involvement in first killings
• Mid-teens - Accused of murdering mother Khadija Bibi
• Late 1990s - Enters Haji Lalu's Lyari gang
• 2001 - Takes control after Haji Lalu's arrest
• 2001-2009 - Peak influence as one of Pakistan's most feared criminals
• August 2009 - Killed in a Karachi Police encounter at age 34

Following Rehman's demise, Uzair Baloch took over Lyari's underworld. Rivalries continued, with gruesome incidents like the 2013 kidnapping and beheading of Arshad Pappu, and reports suggest that over 800 people were killed in gang conflicts between 2004 and 2013.

Today, Lyari is calmer. Football clubs have been revived, and a local team even won the National Youth Championship in 2024, though the scars of past violence remain. Uzair Baloch is reportedly still serving his prison sentence.

Dhurandhar revives a violent legacy on screen, offering viewers a glimpse of Lyari's turbulent past while blending cinematic storytelling with real-life events. The film not only brings Rehman Dakait's notorious life to the fore but also highlights the men and women who shaped the battle for control in one of Pakistan's most infamous neighborhoods.