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Box Office report: Dhurandhar The Revenge rules first quarter, Border 2, Mardaani 3 shine, O'Romeo underwhelms
Here's an analysis of how Bollywood films performed at the box office in the first quarter with Dhurandhar The Revenge, Border 2, Mardaani 3 and O'Romeo
The Dhurandhar wave has taken over the box office in a way that any other thing seems blurred in its presence. Courtesy that, Bollywood has closed the first quarter office at the box office on an immense high. But not just Dhurandhar The Revenge, it’s been quite an exciting start to the year for Hindi films as even Border 2 emerged a hit. While there were some underwhelming performances with O’Romeo, Do Deewane Seher Mein, Tu Yaa Main and Ikkis, among others, Mardaani 3 managed to stay afloat doing good business too.
Giving his take on the performance of Hindi films in the first quarter, trade analyst Taran Adarsh believes it all belonged to Dhurandhar. While Dhurandhar The Revenge arrived in March, the first two months of the year reverberated with the success of the first part as per him. “Dhurandhar has dominated the first quarter. Combined with Border 2, these two films have been a reboot button for Hindi films proving that you have to give audiences what they want, not only what you want to make. Even Mardaani 3 did well and though, overall it has been a mixed quarter, these films have been the ray of sunshine and optimism the industry needed,” he says.
Trade analyst Komal Nahta also insists that Dhurandhar “changed the perspective” for an otherwise not-so exciting first quarter. “With that and Border 2, it has been an exceptional start to the year,” he says, adding that while there were no surprises the last three months, O’Romeo ‘s performance was a shock. “It was a good film with good music, but it just didn’t open and it was the shocking part. It should have opened to double the figures that it did,” he says.
Adarsh feels the problem with O’Romeo was director Vishal Bhardwaj not going massy enough. “The only problem with the film is that with a massy subject, you try to play classy at times and it doesn’t work. If you are making a massy film, go all out. You can’t try to balance both. There is an audience beyond metro and urban centres and all they want is entertainment.” He adds that the success of Dhurandhar The Revenge and Border 2 debunked many myths too: “It has shattered the myths that audience don’t want to watch films with longer runtime or films with excessive violence. For today’s generation who are hooked to 30 seconds Reels, getting them engrossed for almost four hours debunks any notions, considering the content is good.”
Kamal Gianchandani, President, Multiplex Association of India, says it has been all happe faces in theatres this first quarter. “The fourth quarter of the 2025-26 financial year has finished in style with Dhurandhar overperforming and exceeding expectations. Even before that, Border 2 proved good for theatres. It has been a big boost to film business and we are very excited to see what comes next,” he insists.
Box 1: Box Office Verdict
Ikkis: ₹32 cr
Border 2: ₹329 cr
Mardaani 3: ₹52 cr
Vadh 2: ₹4 cr
Tu Yaa Main: ₹7 cr
O’Romeo: ₹73 cr
Do Deewane Seher Mein: ₹8 cr
Assi: ₹11 cr
The Kerala Story 2: ₹52 cr
Dhurandhar The Revenge: ₹844 cr (running)
(All Nett figures are from Sacnilk)
