Overseas Box Office Dominance & Local Screenings
'Dhurandhar The Revenge', a recent Indian production, has reportedly surpassed the performance of the highly anticipated Hollywood sequel 'Ready Or Not 2' in overseas markets. This box office success has also translated into special screening arrangements, including at Mumbai's Bahar Cinema, a venue not typically known for early or late showings. On Sunday, March 22, Bahar Cinema scheduled four showings of 'Dhurandhar The Revenge' at 8:00 am, 12:30 pm, 5:00 pm, and 9:30 pm. This marks an unusual step for the cinema, which, since its opening in November 2010, has operated under regulations restricting showtimes to after 5:00 pm. This deviation underscores the film's perceived demand.
Critical Reception and Contentious Themes
The film, starring Ranveer Singh, has garnered significant box office attention, with reports indicating it has become the 4th highest-grossing Indian film ever and has outperformed 'Baahubali 2' in North America. Worldwide collections are reported to stand at Rs 1,361.95 crore.
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However, critical discourse surrounding 'Dhurandhar The Revenge' points to a more complex narrative. Siddhant Adlakha, writing for Variety, noted that the film "throws fuel on the already burning flames of modern India’s de facto patriotic sentiments, wherein the country’s Hindu majority (via an ethnonationalist movement known as Hindutva) is given free rein, not unlike Hamza, to lynch minorities." Adlakha further characterized the series as "propaganda," a sentiment that even its supporters might find difficult to refute.
The film received an 'A' (adults only) certificate from the CBFC due to "strong violence," with a final runtime of 229 minutes after censorship of certain violent visuals and profanities. Overseas screenings, however, were reportedly longer, running for 235 minutes. The film has also faced bans in several countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council.
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Production and Release Details
'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' was initially conceived as a single film but was later split into two parts during post-production due to its "large amount of footage, scale, and narrative complexity." Principal photography for both installments occurred concurrently between July 2024 and October 2025 across India and Thailand, with additional filming for the second part taking place in January and February 2026. The film's soundtrack and musical score have received praise for enhancing its overall impact, though some commentators felt it was a notch below its predecessor's score in terms of energy.
The film was released worldwide on March 19, 2026, coinciding with festivals such as Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, and Eid al-Fitr. It was also released in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada languages following perceived fan demand. Paid preview shows on the evening of March 18 were met with delays and cancellations, particularly for Kannada and Malayalam screenings, attributed to technical and censorship-related issues.
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Key Figures and Entities:
'Dhurandhar The Revenge': Indian film.
'Ready Or Not 2': Hollywood film.
Bahar Cinema: Mumbai-based cinema hall.
Ranveer Singh: Lead actor in 'Dhurandhar The Revenge'.
Siddhant Adlakha: Film critic for Variety.
CBFC: Central Board of Film Certification (India).
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