Toxic vs Dhurandhar 2: Why Everyone Thought Yash Had Won the Box Office Battle, Until the Final Numbers Arrived

For a few hours on Wednesday, it looked like Rocking Star Yash had done it.

Social media was flooded with celebratory posts. Fan accounts declared victory. Entertainment portals rushed out headlines suggesting Toxic had surpassed Dhurandhar 2.

Then the final numbers started coming in.

And suddenly the story changed.

Yes, Toxic had opened above ₹100 crore in India. Yes, it had delivered one of the biggest debuts in Indian cinema history. But according to multiple trade reports, it still fell just short of the benchmark set by Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar 2.

So what actually happened?

Did Toxic Beat Dhurandhar 2 on Opening Day?

The short answer is: not according to the final reported figures.

The Telegraph reported that Toxic earned around ₹101 crore net in India on its opening day, making it the second-biggest domestic opening of 2026. The film ahead of it was Dhurandhar 2, which reportedly opened at about ₹103 crore net.

A separate Times of India report reached a similar conclusion, describing Toxic as the second-largest opening for an Indian film behind Dhurandhar 2.

In other words, Yash came extraordinarily close.

But he did not officially take the crown.

Then Why Did So Many Reports Say Toxic Had Overtaken Dhurandhar 2?

Because they were looking at real-time box-office tracking rather than final collections.

Throughout release day, trade trackers continuously updated figures from theatres across India.

Toxic had reportedly already crossed ₹31 crore net by around midday and was running ahead of the pace set by Dhurandhar 2 at the same stage of release.

Similarly, live-tracking reports suggested that by afternoon, Toxic was outperforming Dhurandhar 2's day-one trajectory.

Those reports were not necessarily wrong.

They were snapshots.

The problem is that a film can lead at noon and still lose by midnight.

How Big Is Toxic's Opening Actually?

Massive.

Regardless of the comparison, Toxic has achieved what very few films ever manage.

The film apparently crossed the ₹100-crore mark on its opening day, with Sacnilk estimates putting the India net figure at over ₹101 crore.

That places it among the biggest openings ever recorded by an Indian film.

More importantly, it comes from an original film rather than a sequel.

And that matters.

Why Is Everyone Comparing Toxic and Dhurandhar 2 Anyway?

Because this rivalry has been brewing for months.

The two films were originally expected to collide at the box office before release plans changed. The possibility of a Yash-versus-Ranveer showdown dominated trade conversations for much of 2026.

Even after the direct clash was avoided, fans never stopped treating them as competitors.

When Toxic finally arrived, comparisons became inevitable.

Every advance-booking number.

Every occupancy figure.

Every collection update.

Everything was measured against Dhurandhar 2.

Is This Actually a Defeat for Toxic?

Not remotely.

In fact, the opposite argument may be stronger.

Dhurandhar 2 entered theatres with something Toxic did not have: an established franchise, a successful predecessor and months of built-in audience anticipation.

Toxic had to create its own universe.

Yet it still came within touching distance of one of the biggest openings Indian cinema has ever seen.

For many trade analysts, that's less a defeat than a statement.

Who Really Won the Toxic vs Dhurandhar 2 Battle?

That depends on the question you're asking.

If the question is: Which film had the bigger opening day in India? The available final figures suggest the answer remains Dhurandhar 2.

But if the question is: Which film generated the bigger surprise? Then Toxic has a strong claim.

Because few expected an original gangster drama released months after the planned clash to come this close to one of the year's biggest franchise films.

And perhaps that's why the debate refuses to die.

The final scoreboard favours Dhurandhar 2. But Yash managed to hold his own ground.

(With inputs from agencies)