Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge is gearing up for its much-awaited release on March 19, and fans just cannot keep calm. The spy thriller, directed by Aditya Dhar, is now expected to have a clear run at the box office after Yash’s Toxic has been postponed. With strong advance sales, trade experts believe the film could deliver one of the biggest openings ever.
The big advantage for Dhurandhar: The Revenge
The film was supposed to face competition from Toxic, the upcoming pan-India action film starring Yash. However, the makers of Toxic have now postponed its release to June.
This change has given Dhurandhar: The Revenge a major boost. Without another big film arriving on the same day, the spy thriller now has a wide and open field at the box office. Trade analysts believe this could significantly improve the film’s opening day numbers.
Earlier predictions suggested the film could earn between Rs 67 crore and Rs 77 crore on its first day, even with the clash. Now, with Yash’s Toxic out of the way, expectations are even higher.
Long runtime to limit the number of shows?
Despite the strong buzz, the film’s long runtime could affect how many shows theatres can schedule in a day. Dhurandhar: The Revenge is reportedly close to four hours long.
Because of this, many cinemas may only be able to run about four shows per day instead of the usual five or six shows that big commercial films often get. Even if a fifth show is added, it may be scheduled very late at night or early in the morning, when fewer people typically visit theatres.
Still, trade experts say the film’s popularity could easily make up for the limited number of shows. Strong audience demand could keep theatres packed throughout the day.
Can Dhurandhar: The Revenge revive pre-pandemic footfall?
Another point being discussed in the trade is whether Aditya Dhar’s directorial can bring back the kind of theatre footfall that big films used to see before the pandemic.
Earlier, blockbuster releases could attract nearly 40 lakh viewers in a single day across India. With today’s ticket prices, that level of footfall would translate to around Rs 100 crore in daily collections.
However, the film’s long runtime might make reaching that number slightly difficult. Even then, many believe that if the film connects with audiences, it could help revive business in key circuits such as Mumbai and Central India.
Opening day likely to cross Rs 80 crore
Considering the current buzz, early estimates by Sacnilk suggest that Dhurandhar: The Revenge could earn between Rs 80 crore and Rs 90 crore on its opening day.
These numbers could still change as the release date gets closer and theatre allocations become clearer. If the advance booking trend continues to grow, the film could even exceed current expectations.
The movie will also be released in several dubbed versions across India. These versions are expected to add another Rs 10–15 crore to the overall opening day total. However, the Telugu release of Ustaad Bhagat Singh on the same day might affect its performance in some southern markets.
Strong advance booking in North America
The film is already showing promising signs internationally. According to box office tracking website Sacnilk, Dhurandhar: The Revenge has crossed $100,000 in advance ticket sales in North America two weeks before its release.
Out of this amount, nearly $70,000 has come from premiere shows scheduled for March 18. The film has not yet opened bookings in all locations, so these numbers are expected to rise in the coming days.
Industry observers believe the film could cross the $1 million mark from premiere shows alone.
A record-breaker?
At present, the record for the biggest Indian film premiere in the United States is held by Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor and directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. The film earned about $1.2 million from its premiere shows in 2023.
Trade experts believe Dhurandhar: The Revenge could come close to that record if the current trend continues.
The first film in the franchise, Dhurandhar, was also a huge success overseas. It earned more than $20 million in the United States and Canada and even surpassed Baahubali 2: The Conclusion to become the highest-grossing Indian film in North America at the time.