Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, has emerged as a box office juggernaut, surpassing James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash in India, despite challenges in screen availability and the absence of IMAX showings. This victory underscores the film's strong audience reception and its ability to resonate with the Indian movie-going public.
Released on December 5, 2025, Dhurandhar, a Hindi-language spy action thriller, has garnered ₹877.54 crore (US$100 million) worldwide. In India, the movie has earned ₹689.52 crore (US$82 million). In its third weekend, Dhurandhar continued its dominance, collecting ₹36 crore net on Sunday, bringing its total domestic collection to ₹528.50 crore net. The film's seventeen-day run has been record-breaking, achieving the seventh position in Bollywood and the ninth Hindi film overall to enter the ₹500 crore club.
In contrast, Avatar: Fire and Ash, despite being a major Hollywood release and the third installment in a highly successful franchise, has had a comparatively slower start in India. The film grossed ₹66.65 crore in its opening weekend.
Several factors contributed to Dhurandhar's success. First, Dhurandhar received mixed-to-positive reviews, with praise for the performances of Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, Aditya Dhar's direction, cinematography, action sequences, music, world-building, and production values. Some criticism was directed towards the film's 214-minute runtime and pacing. Second, Dhurandhar has benefitted from strong word-of-mouth, resulting in increased earnings in its second week compared to its first. Third, Dhurandhar's screen count was reduced by an estimated 40% due to the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash.
Dhurandhar has drawn inspiration from real-life events involving geopolitical tensions, including the 1999 IC-814 hijack, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and R&AW's infiltration during Operation Lyari. Though classified as fiction, this connection to real events has likely contributed to the film's resonance with Indian audiences.
Despite Avatar: Fire and Ash having a wide release across 3800 screens in India, including IMAX and premium formats, Dhurandhar has held its ground. Dhurandhar recorded high occupancy rates, with overall occupancy reaching 62.73% on a Sunday, with afternoon and evening shows peaking between 76.92% and 79.54%.
Looking ahead, Dhurandhar is expected to continue its successful run, potentially crossing ₹900 crore this week and ₹1000 crore before the new year. A sequel, Dhurandhar: Part 2 – Revenge, is slated for release on March 19, 2026. The success of Dhurandhar demonstrates the strength of local content and its ability to compete with major Hollywood releases, even when facing challenges in screen availability and premium format access.
