Rehman Dakait’s Dhurandhar mansion isn’t in Lyari; Bollywood shot it in THIS historic location

rehman dakait mansion in real life

• Dhurandhar's mansion scenes were filmed at Lal Kothi in Amritsar, not Karachi
• Lal Kothi is a 19th-century heritage haveli managed by a trust in Amritsar
• Lyari scenes were recreated on sets in Bangkok and various Indian locations.

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One of the most talked-about visual elements in the blockbuster Bollywood film Dhurandhar is the lavish mansion of the character Rehman Dakait, portrayed by Akshaye Khanna, which the movie depicts as located in the Lyari area of Karachi, Pakistan. However, the real filming location is not in Pakistan at all. The striking mansion scenes were actually shot in an architectural gem in Amritsar, Punjab, India.

The grand property featured in the film is known as Lal Kothi, a 19th-century haveli famed for its colonial-era design, high ceilings, European marble flooring, wood-carved staircases, and other historic touches that lend it a dramatic presence on screen. On January 6, film enthusiast Jatin Mithrani travelled to Punjab to share glimpses of the bungalow with his viewers on Instagram. He captioned the post, “Turns out Lyari isn't that far.”

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A post shared by Jatin Mithrani (@vibeshwar)

Contrary to what audiences might think, this building isn’t a mere set constructed for the movie; it is an actual heritage structure that has stood for over a century and has been used in various film projects over the years. It is situated below Bhandari Bridge in Amritsar and is not privately owned, but rather managed by a trust that preserves the site and allows film shoots and controlled public access.

According to reports, the Dhurandhar production team leased the location at an estimated rate of ₹50,000 per day for filming key scenes inside and around the mansion, making it one of the more premium heritage shoot spots in the region.

While the story of Dhurandhar — an action-thriller set against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and underworld narratives in Karachi’s Lyari, is fictionalized for cinematic effect, the use of real historic sites like Lal Kothi showcases Bollywood’s knack for transforming authentic architecture into believable and compelling on-screen worlds.

Other parts of the Dhurandhar production recreated Lyari’s streets and market scenes on elaborate sets constructed abroad or in alternate Indian locations, including a massive town set built in Bangkok, Thailand, to achieve the right atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Dhurandhar 2 is slated to release in March 2026.