The makers of Dhurandhar: The Revenge have announced special paid preview screenings ahead of the film’s official release, giving fans an early chance to watch the much-awaited sequel. The action thriller, starring Ranveer Singh, is scheduled to hit theatres on March 19, but audiences in several cities will be able to watch it a day earlier.
The trailer of Dhurandhar: The Revenge was released on Saturday and quickly created excitement online. Soon after the launch, the production team confirmed that paid preview shows would be held on March 18. Advance bookings for these shows have already gone live.
Paid preview shows planned in major metros
Several multiplexes across big cities have scheduled special screenings for the evening of March 18. Viewers in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata will be able to catch the film before its official release day.
In Mumbai, the first preview show is expected to begin at around 4:45 pm, while the final screening may start close to 11:45 pm. Delhi theatres are planning a similar schedule, with the first show likely to begin around 5 pm and the last one just before midnight.
Cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad will have several showtimes through the evening. Kolkata, however, is expected to have fewer preview screenings compared to other metros.
Industry observers say paid previews are often used to build buzz and generate early audience reactions. Positive word of mouth from these screenings can help boost ticket sales when the film officially releases the next day.
Ticket prices vary across theatres
Tickets for the preview shows are already available on ticketing platforms such as BookMyShow. Prices differ depending on the city, cinema chain and seating category.
In many multiplexes, standard seats are priced between Rs 290 and Rs 350. Premium recliner seats are much higher and can cost up to Rs 1,400 in some theatres. For a few premium formats in metro cities, ticket prices have even crossed Rs 2,000.
Interestingly, bookings for the March 18 previews have opened first, while advance bookings for the official opening day and the weekend have not yet started.
A darker story in the sequel
The trailer suggests that the sequel will take the story in a more intense direction. Ranveer Singh returns as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, also known as Hamza Ali Mazari, a character deeply involved in covert intelligence missions.
The new film appears to explore more of Hamza’s past and the events that pushed him into the dangerous world of espionage and revenge.
The trailer also introduces fresh conflicts. Arjun Rampal plays Major Iqbal, who appears to be the main antagonist. Sanjay Dutt returns as the bold cop Chaudhry Aslam, while R. Madhavan continues to play Hamza’s mentor.
A brief moment in the trailer showing Sara Arjun holding a gun hints that the story may include unexpected twists and personal confrontations.
Solo release improves box office prospects
Initially, the film was expected to clash with Toxic, starring Yash. However, the makers of Toxic recently postponed their release due to uncertainty in the Middle East market.
With that change, Dhurandhar: The Revenge will now arrive in theatres without a major competitor. Trade analysts believe this could give the film a stronger opening at the box office.
Unlike the first instalment, which was released only in Hindi, the sequel will have a wider release across the country. The film will be available in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.
The film is set to release on March 19, 2026, during the festive period of Eid, Ugadi and Gudi Padwa, which could further boost theatre footfall across India.