Ranveer Singh’s Gritty Anti-Hero Drives ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ to Rs 236 Crore Worldwide Opening

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has hailed Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge as a "cinematic disruptor," declaring that the Aditya Dhar-directed sequel signals a decisive shift in audience taste away from formula-driven Bollywood spectacles.

Released on March 19, 2026, the spy thriller headlined by Ranveer Singh has opened to record-breaking numbers, reportedly crossing Rs 100 crore worldwide on its first day.

The film is a sequel to Dhar's 2025 hit 'Dhurandhar' and early response suggests it has struck a chord with audiences and critics alike for its grounded storytelling and restrained action.

Varma, known for his unfiltered takes, described the sequel as a "horror" for filmmakers who rely on "dumbed down, over-the-top cinema," arguing that the film exposes the weaknesses of traditional hero-centric storytelling.

In a lengthy post, he criticised the long-standing Bollywood trope of invincible protagonists, claiming the film "killed all those heroes who never bleed and never feel pain."

Central to Varma's praise is Singh's portrayal of a psychologically layered anti-hero, one who falters, bleeds, and derives strength from intellect rather than spectacle.

According to Varma, this marks a departure from "godly heroes" whose power is often amplified through exaggerated action and loud background scores.

He emphasised that the film's action sequences feel "raw and real," contrasting sharply with conventional mass entertainers where "physics is a joke and gravity is non-existent."

The commentary aligns with critical reviews that have highlighted the film's emphasis on authenticity over spectacle.

Varma said audiences exposed to such realism may find traditional high-octane action sequences increasingly "cheap, fake, and embarrassingly ridiculous."

Has ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ Delivered a “Verdict” Against Visual-Heavy Cinema?

Beyond praise, Varma issued a stark warning to filmmakers continuing to produce formulaic masala films.

He argued that the commercial success of the sequel, combined with its narrative approach, poses an existential threat to an older filmmaking style.

Calling the film a "verdict," he stated that it effectively "cut off the head" of cinema that prioritises visual excess over storytelling depth.

He urged producers currently working on such projects to "go back to their drawing boards," warning that failure to adapt could render them obsolete in a rapidly evolving market.

Varma has previously described the franchise as a "quantum leap" for Indian cinema, even claiming the sequel's impact rivals that of classics like Sholay and Mughal-e-Azam.

What Do the Regional Box Office Trends Reveal About ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’?

At the box office, the film has set a new benchmark, collecting Rs 102.55 crore nett across 21,728 shows on its first day in India, according to industry data-tracking portal Sacnilk.

Its India gross stood at Rs 172.63 crore, while overseas collections contributed Rs 64 crore gross, taking the worldwide total to Rs 236.63 crore gross.

Despite the strong overall performance, the film’s South Indian dubbed versions have underperformed.

It earned Rs 2.10 crore nett in Telugu and Rs 1.15 crore nett in Tamil on Thursday, while Malayalam and Kannada versions remained below the Rs 10 lakh nett mark.

The cumulative collection from southern markets stood at Rs 3.43 crore nett.

Among states, Maharashtra emerged as the top-performing market with Rs 20.06 crore nett, followed by Delhi-NCR at Rs 10.97 crore nett, Karnataka at Rs 9 crore nett, Gujarat at Rs 7.44 crore nett and Uttar Pradesh at Rs 4.66 crore nett.

Backed by B62 Studios and Jio Studios, the film stars Singh as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, who transforms into covert operative Hamza Ali Mazari operating deep inside Pakistan. The sequel traces Mazari’s rise in the Karachi underworld and explores his origins.

The film also features Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi in key roles.

(With inputs from ANI)