Ranveer Singh’s upcoming spy thriller sequel Dhurandhar 2 (also known as Dhurandhar: The Revenge) has generated unprecedented excitement in the Indian film industry, setting new benchmarks in advance ticket sales and theatrical scheduling.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film features Ranveer Singh in the lead role as an Indian spy operating in Karachi. The ensemble cast includes prominent actors such as R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi, with Akshaye Khanna reportedly appearing in a cameo as the antagonist Rehman Dakait from the original installment.
The movie is scheduled for theatrical release on March 19, 2026. Advance bookings have already surpassed one million tickets worldwide, establishing it as the largest premiere in the history of Indian cinema. In India alone, nearly 15 lakh tickets have been sold in advance, with approximately half allocated to paid preview screenings on March 18.
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Paid previews have generated around ₹35 crore, eclipsing the previous high of ₹25 crore set by OG the year before. Day-one advance collections stand at ₹21 crore, while total global pre-sales have exceeded ₹125 crore, including a milestone of $5 million in North America—the first for any Indian film in that market.
The film’s extended runtime, approaching four hours, poses logistical challenges for exhibitors. Including trailers, intervals, and theater turnaround time, each screening requires about four hours and forty minutes, typically restricting most theaters to four daily shows. To accommodate overwhelming demand, several venues are implementing 24-hour operations with overnight and post-midnight slots.
In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, theaters such as PVR Chakala, MovieMax Sion, MovieMax Thane, and Connplex Cinemas have scheduled shows starting as early as 1:50 AM from Thursday onward. Even iconic single-screen venue Maratha Mandir has adjusted the longstanding 11:30 AM slot for Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to an earlier morning timing to facilitate Dhurandhar 2‘s extended format. Industry sources anticipate further late-night expansions in western and southern India.
Building on the success of the first Dhurandhar, which grossed ₹1300 crore worldwide and enjoyed a three-month theatrical run after its December release, trade experts predict the sequel could cross ₹2000 crore globally, potentially challenging the all-time record held by Dangal.
This surge in pre-sales and innovative screening strategies underscores the film’s massive anticipation and Ranveer Singh’s enduring draw at the box office.
