It's been a week since Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar hit the theatres, and it has been a dream run so far at the box office. On Day 7, the spy thriller made a roaring entry into the Rs 200-crore club, and as per trade analyst experts, there's no stopping lead star Ranveer Singh, Dhurandhar, or the man of the hour, Akshaye Khanna.
But the film is not releasing in Gulf countries, including the UAE, a massive market for Indian films, owing to concerns over its anti-Pakistani content. But will that impact its box office revenue?
NDTV spoke to trade analysts Taran Adarsh and Sreedhar Pillai about Dhurandhar box office analysis and if the release of Telugu film Akhanda 2 and Rajinikanth's re-release of Padayappa on his 75th birthday on Friday could slow down its juggernaut at the box office.
On Dhurandhar Not Releasing In Gulf Nations
Taran Adarsh weighs in on whether Dhurandhar not being released in the Gulf nations is a major setback for the film.
He says, "I'm not denying that there's a revenue loss, but the film is doing so well across the board that they might feel the pinch. If this film had been released then, it would have been great; it would have only added to the revenue."
How Soon Dhurandhar Will Recover Its Budget?
Taran Adarsh shares that Dhurandhar was made on a budget of Rs 300 crore, including both parts. The post-credits of the first part surprised the audience with the release date of Dhurandhar Part 2, set to hit the screens on March 19, 2026.
Dhurandhar has surpassed Rs 200 crore in its first week itself, which is more than half of its total budget for both parts.
Breaking it down, Taran Adarsh shares, "It's huge. Thursday is higher than even Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. It is unstoppable - just imagine the kind of business as of now."
Asked if the film's business can be compared to 2025's highest grossing Hindi films Chhaava (India net collection: Rs 601.54 crore) and Saiyaara (India net collection: Rs 329.2 crore), the trade expert says it's "a bit too early" to compare Dhurandhar to the two films.
He continues, "If you have to compare it to Chhaava, then maybe in terms of numbers. Let's see where it goes because I think it should cross Rs 300 crore by the weekend itself in India."
Is Akhanda 2 A Competition For Dhurandhar?
Nandamuri Balakrishna's Akhanda 2 was postponed just hours before its scheduled release on December 5 and has now hit the theatres today, December 12.
Sharing insights about the South, trade expert Sreedhar Pillai informs that Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar is doing very well in Chennai. He shares that it's been a while since a Hindi film has received such a response. With no direct opposition, the second week should continue its glorious run.
In terms of Akhanda 2's release, he says, "It is a Telugu film, and Akhanda 2's more of an opposition would be Rajinikanth's re-release of Padayappa. But I think Dhurandhar has its own audience, and Hindi cinema has its own audience. Of course, Tamil cinema is number 1 in Chennai city, but Dhurandhar has its audience. You should note that the run time of 3 hours 34 minutes was not looked upon kindly in the beginning. But now I think people have got used to it."
Taran Adarsh adds, "Of course, for the South audience, for the Telugu audience, Balakrishna is massive. It's going to take a fantastic start, but Dhurandhar will also be holding its post for the Hindi audience."
On Social Media Frenzy And Controversies Around Dhurandhar
Both Sreedhar Pillai and Taran Adarsh credit the making of the film for its phenomenal success.
Controversy over its content and its reviews or not, both trade experts say that, at the end of the day, it is about the content.
Sreedhar Pillai reflects, "People are liking the film. Normally, films that are, let us say, what the critics have been saying are Pakistan-bashing and all - South is an entirely different market. Here, the stardom of Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, and especially Akshaye Khanna has made it a very big hit. It is running because of the content rather than the controversy surrounding the film. Of course, the controversies will fuel their own box office."
Taran Adarsh adds, "Eventually, the content speaks. Nothing matters. No negative talk. No controversy. Nothing matters that can bring your film into the limelight."
Onto Dhurandhar 2
With Part 1 wreaking havoc at the box office, big hopes are pinned on Dhurandhar Part 2, which is set to clash with South superstar Yash's Toxic.
Sreedhar Pillai says, "Now, the brand Dhurandhar has been established, part 2 should take a very good opening on March 19. But there is stiff opposition with Toxic. I still think Dhurandhar will sail through."
Taran Adarsh concurs, "Toxic will be a tough competitor. Let's see."
On December 11, Dhurandhar earned approximately Rs 27 crore, as reported by trade tracker Sacnilk, taking its total collection to Rs 207.25 crore.
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