- Toxic's release postponed to June 4 due to Middle East tensions affecting business
- Dhurandhar 2 will release on March 19 as planned, despite regional tensions
- The first Dhurandhar film was banned in Pakistan and six Gulf countries
Actor Rakesh Bedi has reacted after the makers of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups postponed the film's release, clearing the way for the upcoming action thriller Dhurandhar 2 to arrive in theatres on its planned date.
What's Happening
- Earlier, the makers of Toxic had also planned to release their film on the same date. However, the team recently announced that the movie would now arrive in cinemas on June 4, citing tensions in the Middle East caused by the US-Iran situation as a factor that could affect the film's business in that region.
- Reacting to the postponement, Rakesh Bedi, who played Jameel Jamali in the first Dhurandhar film, commented on the development in a conversation with India Today.
- He said, "Tension toh humare liye bhi hai Middle East main, par hum toh aa rahe hai (the tension exists for us, too, in the Middle East, but we will release our film)."
Background
The first installment of the franchise faced restrictions in several countries. The film was banned in Pakistan as well as in six Gulf countries - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - reportedly due to concerns that it portrayed Pakistan negatively.
Despite the restrictions, the movie later gained attention when it premiered on Netflix and went on to trend at number one in Pakistan, where many viewers praised the film.
Actor R Madhavan recently spoke about the anticipation surrounding the sequel and revealed that some fans from Dubai are planning to travel to India to watch it in theatres.
Speaking during a podcast conversation with Sonia Shenoy, he said, "That's the power of good content. Now they are planning their business meetings around March 19 so that they can attend the meeting and watch Dhurandhar 2 because it's not releasing in Dubai. For them, it would be so easy to just watch it on IPTV, okay? And I'm sure they could. But they want to experience watching a film like Dhurandhar in a theatre full of people."
Meanwhile, Toxic is directed by Geetu Mohandas and features Yash in a dual role. The film also stars Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Tara Sutaria, Huma Qureshi and Rukmini Vasanth. The film's teaser had earlier generated debate online over a graphic scene.
Dhurandhar 2 continues the story introduced in the 2025 film. The first movie followed Ranveer Singh as Hamza, an Indian spy who infiltrates the gangs of Lyari in an attempt to dismantle a terror network threatening India.
The sequel will focus on Hamza's backstory, including his training as a spy and the political challenges he faces while operating in Pakistan. The film will also feature returning cast members, including R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi and Danish Pandor.
The sequel is currently scheduled to hit theatres on March 19.