Is Dhurandhar 2 certain to topple Dangal, Baahubali 2 and become the highest-grossing Indian film ever? | Analysis
Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar 2 has already earned ₹850 crore in five days, and ₹2000 crore does not look like an impossible mountain to climb.
It has just been five days since Dhurandhar The Revenge released in theatres. In that time, the Aditya Dhar spy thriller has rewritten Bollywood box-office records, registering three ₹100+ crore days and breaking records for advance bookings, paid previews, and opening collections. It has even surpassed some of the biggest pan-India blockbusters in its pace of earnings. With the Ranveer Singh-starrer set to cross ₹1000 crore in its first week itself, the question arises - just how far can Dhurandhar 2 go? And the answer is - all the way!
Dhurandhar 2 has already earned ₹850 crore in five days, and ₹2000 crore does not look like an impossible mountain to climb.
For the first time in years, a film looks all set to topple Dangal from the top of the list of highest-grossing Indian films of all time. And the way Dhurandhar 2 is going, even trade feels it is just a matter of when and not if.
Dhurandhar 2’s manic box office run
There aren’t any correct adjectives to describe the kind of run Dhurandhar 2 is having at the box office currently. The film earned ₹75 crore worldwide in just paid previews, and then registered a smashing ₹240 crore opening. Its ₹750-crore opening weekend is the second-largest in Indian cinema history, behind only Pushpa 2’s ₹762 crore start in 2024. But sheer numbers aren’t enough to understand the kind of generational run Dhurandhar 2 is having right now.
Dhurandhar 2's makers claimed it earned ₹761 crore in its opening weekend. Trade put the figure at ₹750 crore.
The overseas success factor
Dhurandhar 2 has not released in the six Gulf Countries and Pakistan. And yet, it is minting money internationally. In the US, it has already topped $10 million and is set to beat Baahubali 2 and Dhurandhar to set a new North American record. The first Dhurandhar earned $33 million overseas. The sequel has crossed $22 million in just five days. It is projected to cross $50 million by the end of its run. That would add ₹460 crore to its earnings from abroad, more than what Baahubali 2, Jawan, or Kalki 2898 AD managed.
The pan-India appeal
What makes Dhurandhar 2’s run special is that the spy thriller is beating pan-India films despite having no substantial contribution from its dubbed versions. In the past, this has handicapped Bollywood films. Jawan and Animal steamrolled past Baahubali 2’s Hindi collection, but stopped short of its global haul because of the minimal collections from their dubbed versions. While Baahubali 2 earned ₹180 crore net from its Tamil and Malayalam dubs, Animal made just ₹50 crore from dubbed versions and Jawan made around ₹60 crore. This difference stopped them from going past the ₹1500 crore mark when push came to shove.
The first Dhurandhar, released in December, earned over ₹1300 crore. The sequel is projected to do better. (PTI Photo) (PTI)
But Dhurandhar 2’s pan-India appeal comes from how well even the Hindi version is doing down south. Even as the dubbed versions’ contributions are minimal, Dhurandhar 2’s OG Hindi version is seeing occupancy of over 80% in territories like Chennai and Hyderabad, signifying pan-India appeal.
In the Telugu states, where the dubbed version is doing well, it has even outdone a big local release. On Monday, Dhurandhar 2’s Telugu version earned ₹2.50 crore net, compared to ₹1.92 crore for Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh. Becoming the first choice of Telugu cinegoers over a local hero’s actioner is a big leap for Dhurandhar 2.
The longevity of Dhurandhar
The Monday Test determines any big film’s lifetime run. Most event films, the kind that Dhurandhar 2 became, account for a big chunk of their lifetime earnings in the first weekend itself. Pathaan made around 25% of its total box office collections in its first five days. For Baahubali 2, it was 30% and for Pushpa 2, almost 40%. As Monday approached,all these films saw big drops in earnings, ranging from 60-70%. Such a drop is considered par for the course for a big film with a huge weekend.
But despite record-breaking weekend collections, Dhurandhar 2’s Monday drop was ‘only’ 43%. In fact, its Monday was bigger than Pathaan’s release day. In that regard, it follows in the footsteps of part 1, which is one of the longest-running Indian films of recent times. With a ₹1000-crore week on the cards and no competition till April, Dhurandhar 2 is projected to cross ₹1500 crore in under two weeks, and after that, it is only a matter of time till the ₹2000 crore mark falls.
The first Dhurandhar earned ₹1300 crore worldwide. Part 2 should cross that by the second weekend. After that, it's a clear run to ₹1800 crore, which means it would have surpassed Pushpa 2 ( ₹1761 crore) and Baahubali 2 ( ₹1781 crore). Dangal’s mark of ₹2070 crore - aided by the stupendous collections from China - is likely to fall at the very end of Dhurandhar 2’s run, probably sometime towards the end of April.
Keytakeaways
Dhurandhar 2 demonstrates exceptional pan-India appeal, outperforming local films in key regions.
The film's box office performance suggests it could surpass previous records held by Dangal and Baahubali 2.
Strong Monday earnings indicate a sustainable box office run, crucial for long-term success.
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well.
A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism.
Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day.
Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More
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