Quick Read
- Dhurandhar 2, officially titled Dhurandhar: The Revenge, is set for a theatrical release on March 19, 2026.
- The first film, Dhurandhar, debuted on Netflix on January 30, 2026, 56 days after its theatrical release.
- Dhurandhar earned over ₹1,000 crore domestically and ₹1,301 crore worldwide, becoming India’s highest-grossing film in a single language.
- Dhurandhar 2 will be released in five Indian languages and is expected to break several opening box office records.
- Ranveer Singh stars as Indian RAW agent Hamza in the espionage thriller franchise.
MUMBAI (Azat TV) – Dhurandhar 2, the highly anticipated sequel to India’s record-breaking espionage thriller, is set for a grand theatrical release on March 19, 2026. This comes as the first film, Dhurandhar, continues to generate immense buzz following its recent debut on Netflix, where it became available for streaming on January 30, 2026, 56 days after its historic theatrical run.
The original film, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, shattered box office records, becoming a cultural phenomenon and setting a high bar for its upcoming successor. Its transition to streaming platforms is expected to broaden its reach and further fuel anticipation for the sequel.
Dhurandhar’s Historic Box Office Performance
Released in theaters on December 5, 2025, Dhurandhar quickly established itself as a cinematic juggernaut. The high-octane espionage thriller achieved a historic milestone by crossing ₹1,000 crore in India’s gross collection, making it the first Bollywood-origin film to reach this benchmark domestically. According to Sacnilk, its net collection domestically stood at ₹835.5 crore after 55 days.
Globally, the film amassed an estimated ₹1,301 crore, surpassing several Indian films’ records and solidifying its place among elite pan-Indian blockbusters. Its unprecedented commercial success, marked by record-breaking second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh weeks for an Indian film, demonstrated the audience’s deep engagement with its intense narrative and action sequences.
First Film Arrives on Netflix, Fuels Sequel Hype
The wait for millions of fans to experience Dhurandhar from home concluded on January 30, 2026, when it began streaming exclusively on Netflix. The digital version, available in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, features a runtime of 3 hours and 25 minutes, slightly shorter than its 3-hour and 34-minute theatrical cut. This move allows a wider audience to delve into the story of Ranveer Singh’s character, Hamza Ali Mazari, an Indian RAW agent who infiltrates Karachi’s dangerous underworld.
Reports from Economic Times suggest that Netflix acquired the streaming rights as part of a high-value combined deal worth approximately ₹130 crore, which also includes the digital rights for the upcoming sequel. While there was significant fan speculation about a potential ‘uncut’ version for streaming, neither the filmmakers nor Netflix have officially confirmed if the digital release differs from the theatrical cut, which was granted an ‘A’ (Adults Only) certificate.
Dhurandhar 2: Records in Sight for Ranveer Singh’s Return
The sequel, officially titled Dhurandhar: The Revenge, is already generating immense excitement, with Ranveer Singh slated to reprise his role. Set to release on March 19, 2026, Dhurandhar 2 will expand its reach by being released in five Indian languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, unlike its predecessor, which primarily released in Hindi.
The film is poised to face a significant box office clash with Yash’s highly anticipated film, Toxic. Despite the competition, industry analysts, as reported by Koimoi, indicate that Dhurandhar 2 is eyeing several major opening records. These include pushing Happy New Year out of the top 10 Bollywood openers by surpassing its ₹44.97 crore opening, challenging Jr. NTR’s Devara for a spot in the top 10 Indian openers (all languages combined) with a target of over ₹83 crore, and aiming to become the biggest opening for a sequel film, potentially surpassing the ₹64.80 crore opening of Stree 2.
The Enduring Appeal of the Dhurandhar Franchise
The success of the Dhurandhar franchise lies in its compelling narrative, which draws inspiration from real-life geopolitical conflicts, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the 2001 Parliament attack, and IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The film’s critical acclaim highlighted its sharp, realistic action, deep exploration of intelligence operations, and intense psychological tactics, moving beyond conventional operations to focus on the human costs of espionage.
The ensemble cast, featuring Sanjay Dutt as SP Chaudhry Aslam, Akshaye Khanna as gangster Rahman Dakait, Arjun Rampal as Major Iqbal, and R. Madhavan as IB Chief Ajay Sanyal, contributed significantly to its depth. Furthermore, the film’s soundtrack, composed by Shashwat Sachdev, became a breakout hit, with Bahraini rapper Flipperachi’s track ‘Fa9la’ taking on a life of its own, accumulating over 5.7 million videos on Instagram alone, as noted by The Juggernaut.
The strategic timing of Dhurandhar’s Netflix debut, combined with its unprecedented box office success, has created a powerful springboard for Dhurandhar 2, positioning the sequel not just as a continuation but as a potential record-breaker in its own right, further cementing the franchise’s significant impact on Indian cinema.