In a remarkable achievement for Indian cinema, the Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar has officially entered the elite global box office club by crossing the coveted Rs 1,000-crore mark. The film's staggering worldwide gross was confirmed with figures released on Friday, cementing its place among a select group of Indian blockbusters.
A Rare Feat for a Single-Language Release
What makes Dhurandhar's success particularly noteworthy is its unique path to this milestone. Unlike other Indian films in the Rs 1,000-crore club, such as Pushpa 2, RRR, Jawan, and Kalki 2898AD, Dhurandhar was not a multilingual pan-India release. It achieved this historic collection as a single-language, Hindi-only film. Furthermore, it managed this feat without being a highly anticipated sequel and despite having a substantial runtime of three and a half hours, factors that often challenge a film's widespread commercial appeal.
Exhibitors Back Dhurandhar Over Avatar
The film's phenomenal performance forced exhibitors to make an unprecedented choice. Veteran exhibitor Raj Bansal revealed that cinemas across India opted to give more shows to Dhurandhar over the major Hollywood release Avatar: Fire and Ash. "Dhurandhar was doing terrific business, and exhibitors chose to play more shows of Dhurandhar over Avatar," Bansal stated. He called this a rare decision, as a franchise like Avatar typically commands more screen space. This move was driven solely by Dhurandhar's record-breaking audience pull. Bansal added that almost all shows in single-screen cinemas were allotted to the Indian film, and its growth remains steady with no major competition until the Republic Day week release of Border 2.
The film's dominance had a significant ripple effect on other releases. Makers of Kapil Sharma's Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karoon 2, which had hit theatres on December 12, confirmed that their film was impacted by Dhurandhar's sweep. As a result, they have decided to re-release their comedy in January 2026 to find a more favourable window.
Setting a New Benchmark for A-Rated Films
Dhurandhar has shattered another significant barrier. Film business experts highlight that it is the first A-rated Indian film to cross the Rs 1,000-crore mark in just 21 days. This rewrites the rulebook for what adult-certified films can achieve commercially, as they traditionally face restrictions on audience reach and family viewings. While A-rated films like Animal have seen huge success before, the speed and scale of Dhurandhar's collection are unprecedented for the category.
While Dhurandhar scaled the ultimate peak, 2025 has been a year of robust performance for the Indian film industry overall. A total of 31 films entered the 100-crore club this year. The range was vast, from the period drama Chhaava collecting Rs 717 crore to the romantic film Saiyaara, featuring newcomers, clocking a solid Rs 399 crore, proving the year was full of cinematic surprises and diverse successes.
