Afghans have expressed anger and disappointment over the portrayal of the country's founding father in the latest Bollywood period drama, Panipat, set in the 18th century.

The film depicts the 1761 Battle of Panipat fought between the forces of Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali and the army of Marathas, a Hindu community mainly based in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.

Modern Panipat is a district in the northern state of Haryana, about 85km (53 miles) from

Abdali, a hero to many Afghans, was the founder of the Durrani Empire and leader of the Pashtun tribe who defeated the Maratha army. To most Indians, he is a fierce invader who killed thousands of Maratha soldiers.

Panipat is the latest Bollywood film to attract criticism for its misrepresentation of historical characters, especially Muslim rulers from the medieval period.

Another Bollywood film Padmaavat (2018) portrayed Alauddin Khilji, a Muslim king of Afghan origin who ruled Delhi in the 12th century, as a "savage" who "gnaws meat off the bone" - following the most prevalent stereotypes about Muslims, according to critics.

"Abdali fits the Alauddin Khilji mould of 'otherness' - tall, imposing, and dismissive of Hindu martial prowess. The two manifest the stock Muslim 'invader' tropes that dominate the 21st-century Hindu psyche," wrote film critic and columnist Kaveree Bamzai on The Print website.

"As one of the Panipat posters on Abdali says: 'Death strikes where his shadow falls'."

Similarly, Kesari - released earlier this year and based on the Battle of Saragarhi in 1897 between Sikh soldiers and Afghans - was also criticised for portraying the Afghans as violent invaders.

These films have offended many Afghans, such as Hassan Amin Shoob, a Kabul-based filmmaker. He said Panipat is yet another film that "failed to capture the true essence of Afghan history and values".

"India's Panipat is undoubtedly of a lucrative nature, focused mainly on the Hindu aspect of the events. The director's take on history is a failed attempt, but a make-me-happy entertainment for the Hindus," Shoob told Al Jazeera.

Last week, a statement released by the Afghan foreign ministry said Idrees Zaman, the acting foreign minister, met with Indian envoy to Kabul Vinay Kumar to discuss the "issue of Afghan sensitivities" surrounding the film.

Even before the film's release, the Afghan embassy in New Delhi had written a letter to the Indian government to raise its concerns over misrepresentation of the Afghan ruler.

"Since the film is related to former Afghan emperor Ahmad Shah Abdali, any insensitive/distorted depiction of his character might provoke emotions of Afghans which could be unfairly exploited by others to adversely affect the trust and harmony that exists so well among the people of two countries," the letter stated.

India has had friendly ties with Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, with New Delhi being a major financial backer of the Western-backed government in Kabul.

India has also earned the goodwill of the Afghans by carrying out major infrastructure projects in the war-torn country, including building the new parliament in Kabul.

Bollywood films and Hindi-language soap operas are very popular in Afghanistan, which is among the biggest markets for the Hindi film industry.

"Bollywood films most of the time vilify and stereotype Muslims. It was easier for them to find proxy in Pakistanis to portray Muslims that suited their agenda; but with the Afghans, they have found a new villain," said Nafees Ur Rehman, a Pashtun researcher

"I think this is a result of widespread religious nationalism. And as of now, such kind of nationalism demands to find 'heroes' among 'yourselves' and 'villains' in 'others'. The recent trend shows Bollywood is playing to such an audience," he said.