In recent years, the vibrant energy unique to packed cinema halls in India—the whistles, applause, and collective gasps that accompany a hero’s slow-motion entry or an unexpected plot twist—had begun to wane. Streaming services were drawing audiences away, and even big-budget Bollywood films struggled to ignite the same passion they once did. Major releases often opened to lukewarm responses, signaling a shift in movie-going habits and the challenges facing traditional Indian cinema. However, this trend was dramatically reversed with the arrival of the spy thriller Dhurandhar in December 2025, a film that not only topped the box office but truly transformed it.
Dhurandhar emerged as a cultural and commercial phenomenon, grossing approximately $155 million worldwide by the end of 2025 and ranking among the biggest hits in Hindi-language cinema. The film’s success reignited interest in theatrical releases, demonstrated by data from PVR Inox, India’s largest multiplex operator. In the quarter ending December 2025, the chain reported a nearly 9% increase in footfalls year-on-year, largely driven by Dhurandhar’s record-breaking run. This surge boosted the chain’s overall box office collections by 13% for the year. The excitement generated by the original film only intensified with the release of its sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which debuted in March 2026 to unprecedented demand.
The sequel’s advance ticket sales were staggering: over 1.5 million tickets were snapped up across five languages even before the film’s release. At nearly four hours long, Dhurandhar: The Revenge is bigger, louder, and more indulgent than its predecessor, and Indian theaters have responded by scheduling up to three dozen near round-the-clock screenings daily—from early morning until late at night. Film trade analyst Taran Adarsh hailed the sequel as “creating history,” calling it a “true game changer” that shatters previous box office records and redefines what a blockbuster can be in contemporary Indian cinema.
The original Dhurandhar, which ran for three hours and 34 minutes, combined intense espionage, gangland conflicts, and patriotic fervor. The film starred Ranveer Singh as a swaggering Indian spy on a dangerous mission in Karachi, Pakistan. Directed by Aditya Dhar, it was praised for its fast pace and gripping action sequences, while also igniting debates about the film’s political messaging and portrayal of India-Pakistan tensions. The sequel picks up from a cliffhanger ending, focusing on an extended Indian intelligence operation deeply embedded in Karachi’s criminal and political underworld. Made back-to-back with the original and released just three months later, Dhurandhar: The Revenge features an expanded cast including Ranveer Singh, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Sara Arjun.
Much like the first film, the sequel is a meticulously crafted spectacle that blends relentless action and visceral violence with a thundering, mood-shifting musical score. The scale and ambition of the production have drawn widespread admiration, even as its political and ideological undertones have unsettled portions of the audience. The film’s storyline loosely incorporates real South Asian flashpoints such as Pakistan’s ‘Operation Lyari’—a crackdown on Karachi’s gangs—and India’s controversial demonetisation policy, weaving geopolitics directly into its narrative fabric.
Audience reactions to the sequel have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Many viewers emerging from theaters have described the film as “paisa vasool,” a Hindi phrase meaning “worth the money.” Far from being deterred by its lengthy runtime, audiences seem to embrace the extended experience as part of the film’s appeal. The film’s hype has been amplified by endorsements from prominent Bollywood actors: Allu Arjun praised its “patriotism with swag,” Preity Zinta called it “mind-blowing,” while veteran actor Anupam Kher described it as “outstanding” and a film that inspires deep pride in India.
However, critical responses have been more nuanced and layered. Some reviewers acknowledge the film’s technical and artistic achievements but critique its narrative choices and ideological stance. One critic argued that Dhurandhar: The Revenge prioritizes “volume and venom” over storytelling depth, with its muscular nationalism and enemy-making reducing complex geopolitical realities into simplistic black-and-white jingoism. Another reviewer noted that the film is filled with “more rage than it knows what to do with,” while yet another suggested