Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar (2025) has been very well received so far and has generally positive feedback for its immersive world-building, great technical quality, and great acting. It has been called a “slick, big-budget entertainer” and has also created much Political buzz around itself and its very realistic and non-apologetic take on Indo-Pak relations.
Critical Reception in Performances
Ranveer Singh has been complimented for giving a very controlled and nuanced performance. However, the general opinion seems to be that Akshaye Khanna performs with a great deal of distinction as he leaves a lasting impression with a very cerebral performance. The overall performances have been strengthened with the addition of other characters like Sanjay Dutt, Madhavan R., and Arjun Rampal.
Direction and cinematography:
Aditya Dhar has received acclaim for taking the Indian “spy thriller genre to a more refined screen treatment,” said a reviewer. Critics have praised the cinematography and action in the film as raw and full of unnecessary flourishes. Runtime and Pacing: Among the most common complaints made is the film running for a rather lengthy period of approximately three and a half hours (214 minutes).
While some people thought the storyline could easily have been packed into a more compact format, others felt the longer running time necessary for the launch of the fabulous world introduced. Tone and Content: Graphic violence characterized this ‘A’ certified movie that has taken a dark tone from start to finish. In fact, it has also been viewed from an “agenda-driven” form due to its strong placement of geopolitics, according to certain reviewers.
Trade Analysis
As per the initial trade analysis, Dhurandhar has raked in around Rs 29-29.5 crores on the second Monday. This is not only unexpected, considering the typical slow pace of business on Weekdays, but also breaks the record set by the earlier blockbuster ‘Pushpa 2’, which had raked in Rs 20.5 crores on the second Monday. Thus, this achievement has left little doubt in the fact that Dhurandhar has emerged as a ‘Trendsetter’ and has demonstrated the power of ‘Word of Mouth’ publicity and loyalty.
By the end of the 11th day, the India net revenue of the film had escalated to approximately Rs 380 crores. This put it on the verge of entering the exclusive Rs 400 crores club. According to trade analysts, it won’t take too long for the film to become a member of the exclusive group.
Weekend Momentum Fuels Weekday Strength
The impressive performances on Monday were fueled by a huge second weekend. The Dhurandhar grossed more than Rs 140 crore in the second weekend alone; this is the biggest second-weekend collection ever recorded in any Indian film. To elaborate, the movie collected around Rs 32.5 crores on Friday, around Rs 53 crores on Saturday, and a staggering Rs 59 crores on Sunday.
The Sunday collection is quite special because Dhurandhar has recorded better 10th-day numbers than several blockbusters that released lately, namely SRK’s Jawan, Pushpa 2, Stree 2, and Animal. This marked nearly 60% growth on the onset of the second weekend. Not just that; this kind of growth is not very common.
Domestic and International Box Office Collections
By the end of the second weekend, Dhurandhar had raked in around Rs 351.7 crore net in the country. In gross terms, it translates to a domestic tally of around Rs 420-434 crore.
As far as the international market is concerned, the film has displayed similar intensity. Dhurandhar has collected over Rs 110 crores internationally, showing highly commendable performance in major international market segments. Notably, it has been ranked in the top five films watched at the US box office, according to a report by Comscore.
Taking into account the domestic and foreign earnings, the overall box office collection has touched the mark of Rs 545-550 crores within the span of 10-11 days of its release. This means that Dhurandhar has managed to become the part of the prestigious Rs 500 Crore club.
A Star-Studded Ensemble and Strong Direction
Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar has an ensemble cast that includes Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, Sara Arjun, and Soumya Trivedi. Dhurandhar has been helmed by Aditya Dhar and has joint production credits from Aditya Dhar and his brother Lokesh Dhar of B62 Studios, in association with Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios.
The film released in theaters on December 5, and Dhurandhar has strongly benefited in the movies industry due to the engaging storyline, production values, and the emotional connection evoked in the storyline. The factors have made the film record good viewership even on multiple watches.
Industry & Celebrity Response
The success story of the film has garnered appreciation not only from within the film fraternity. Actress Shraddha Kapoor recently praised the efforts of the team for being resilient against all the negativity and controversies. She even called Dhurandhar a “phenomenal experience,” urging the filmmakers to prepone the release of Part 2.
The actor Nikitin Dheer also posted a touching message on his social media handle, terming Dhurandhar a “film that has blown down all obstacles on its way and proved that Bollywood is very much ALIVE and TICKING!!” The messages caught the imagination of people as a reminder that cinema with substance is alive and kicking Bollywood-style.
Viewer Engagement and Repeat Views
Public reactions keep adding fuel to the fire of this film’s incredible performance. Social networking sites are flooded with tributes to this film from audiences who have managed to watch Dhurandhar several times, admiring the complexities of storytelling and cinematic performances in this film.
A Landmark Blockbuster With its record-breaking second Monday, historic second weekend, and mind-boggling worldwide collection, Dhurandhar has established its dominance as a milestone movie in the present-day Hindi film industry. Industry insiders point out that the key to this movie’s massive success is not just its opening but its consistency and word-of-mouth publicity across locations. Even as Dhurandhar continues its theatrical run, box office-wise, Dhurandhar appears to have its sights on even larger achievements. When it comes to Ranveer Singh, Dhurandhar is one of the most memorable blockbusters on his resume, while in the greater film community at large, Dhurandhar represents a triumph in the assertion and power of storytelling on the box office.