‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge,’ starring Ranveer Singh, has opened to a thunderous response, setting new benchmarks with its paid premiere collections. The film has grossed over Rs 52 crore from preview shows alone, signalling a massive start to its box office journey.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the sequel recorded an unprecedented turnout during its paid previews, which were held across more than 12,000 shows nationwide. According to trade tracking website Sacnilk, the film earned a net collection of Rs 44 crore (gross minus taxes) at the domestic box office, taking its total gross to Rs 52 crore from 12,292 shows.
With these figures, the film has surpassed all existing records for paid premieres by an Indian release, underlining the immense anticipation surrounding the project. The sequel has already outperformed the opening day collection of its predecessor, Dhurandhar, which had earned Rs 33 crore on its first day.
The strong advance bookings and high ticket prices for the premiere shows further contributed to the impressive numbers. Despite premium pricing, audience enthusiasm remained high, reflecting the strong buzz generated ahead of release.
The film’s rollout, however, was not without hiccups as several shows scheduled at 5:30 pm on March 18 had to be cancelled due to delays in content delivery to theatres. Cinema chains initiated refunds for affected screenings.
Nevertheless, the disruptions did little to dampen audience excitement, as fans continued to flock to theatres in large numbers for later shows.
Early responses from preview screenings have been largely positive, raising expectations for a record-breaking theatrical run. Trade analysts believe the film is poised to dominate the box office in the coming days and could potentially surpass the lifetime earnings of the first instalment, which had grossed Rs 1,300 crore worldwide after its release in December 2025.
The film, which released globally today, also features an ensemble cast including R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi.
With a massive opening and strong word-of-mouth, Dhurandhar: The Revenge appears set to carve out a historic trajectory at the box office.
Dhurandhar emerged as a refreshing and unapologetically bold entrant in Bollywood’s espionage genre, rejecting the glossy, larger-than-life formula that defined many of its predecessors.
Blockbusters where earlier leaned heavily on spectacle and glamour, Dhurandhar dives into the murky realism of intelligence work, crafting a narrative that feels grounded, tense, and psychologically layered.
The film does not rely on exaggerated heroism or romantic escapades to drive the story forward. Instead, it presents espionage as a world built on secrecy, sacrifice, and moral ambiguity, setting itself apart from the mainstream thrillers that dominated the decade.One of the central criticisms audiences have had about films like Pathaan, War, Ek Tha Tiger, and Tiger Zinda Hai is their reliance on hyper-stylized storytelling. These movies often portrayed international intelligence agencies in improbably harmonious ways or inserted romance between opposing operatives as a dramatic centerpiece.
These creative choices, while commercially successful, frequently diluted the seriousness of their narratives. Instead of leaning into the inherent tension of geopolitical conflict, they introduced melodramatic twists and glossy emotional arcs that sometimes felt out of place in a spy thriller. The result was a cinematic tone that many viewers found overly idealized or even childish.
Dhurandhar consciously breaks away from that pattern. While working firmly within the realm of fiction, it avoids depicting rival intelligence services through a sanitized or overly friendly lens.
Instead, the film embraces the competitive, high-stakes atmosphere that defines espionage in most cinematic traditions. It shows the complexities of distrust, strategic manipulation, and relentless pressure without relying on sentimental shortcuts or convenient alliances.Importantly, it does so without making factual claims about any real-world intelligence agency.
Rather, it uses fictionalized portrayals to explore the psychological intensity of a profession where trust is rare and danger is constant.
