Move over, 2025—Bollywood just crowned its new box office king. Dhurandhar, the high-octane action thriller directed by Aditya Dhar and headlined by Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, has officially crossed the monumental ₹1025 crore mark worldwide in just 23 days. And it’s not slowing down.
Even as new releases hit screens, the film is holding its ground with remarkable resilience—raking in ₹20.50 crore on its 23rd-day Saturday alone. Domestically, it stands strong at ₹660 crore net, while overseas collections have surged past ₹365 crore, fueled by massive turnout in the UAE, US, UK, and Australia.
What makes Dhurandhar box office collection so extraordinary isn’t just the numbers—it’s the context. Released in a competitive January window with multiple biggies vying for attention, the film defied odds with its gritty storytelling, powerhouse performances, and razor-sharp execution. Now, it’s not just outperforming expectations—it’s rewriting the rules of what a January release can achieve.
Table of Contents
- Dhurandhar Box Office Collection: Day-by-Day Breakdown
- Why Dhurandhar Is Breaking Records
- Ranveer and Akshaye: The Dynamic Duo Behind the Success
- How Dhurandhar Beat TMKOC and Other 2025 Blockbusters
- International Markets Driving Global Success
- What This Means for Bollywood’s Future
- Conclusion: A New Benchmark for Indian Cinema
- Sources
Dhurandhar Box Office Collection: Day-by-Day Breakdown
Since its January 3, 2025 release, Dhurandhar has shown astonishing staying power. Here’s a snapshot of its financial journey:
- Opening Weekend (Days 1–3): ₹185 crore net (India)
- End of Week 1: ₹310 crore net
- End of Week 2: ₹490 crore net
- End of Week 3: ₹610 crore net
- Day 23 (Saturday): ₹20.50 crore — a rare feat for a fourth-weekend film
- Total Domestic (India Net): ₹660 crore
- Overseas Gross: ₹365+ crore
- Worldwide Gross: ₹1025+ crore
Industry trackers note that the film’s weekday holds have been consistently above 60%, indicating strong word-of-mouth and repeat viewings—especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
Why Dhurandhar Is Breaking Records
Several factors have converged to make Dhurandhar a phenomenon:
- Director Aditya Dhar’s Precision: After the success of Uri: The Surgical Strike, Dhar brought military-grade realism, tight pacing, and emotional depth to this undercover cop thriller.
- Strategic Release Timing: With no major Hindi films between New Year’s and Republic Day, Dhurandhar enjoyed a near-monopoly on multiplex screens.
- Content Over Star Power: Unlike many star vehicles, the film prioritized plot and tension—earning critical praise and audience trust.
- Massive OTT Pre-Sale Hype: A reported ₹220 crore digital rights deal with a leading streaming platform kept buzz alive pre-release.
Ranveer and Akshaye: The Dynamic Duo Behind the Success
Ranveer Singh delivers one of his most restrained yet intense performances as a covert operative torn between duty and morality. Stripped of his usual flamboyance, he channels raw vulnerability—proving his range beyond style.
Opposite him, Akshaye Khanna—often hailed as Bollywood’s “thinking man’s actor”—plays a morally ambiguous intelligence chief with chilling calm. Their cat-and-mouse chemistry has been widely lauded as the film’s backbone.
“This isn’t just a Ranveer Singh film,” noted critic Anupama Chopra. “It’s a masterclass in two actors elevating each other” .
How Dhurandhar Beat TMKOC and Other 2025 Blockbusters
Dhurandhar has now overtaken Kartik Aaryan’s TMKOC 2, which currently sits at ₹980 crore worldwide. The contrast is telling: while TMKOC 2 relied on nostalgia and comedy, Dhurandhar offered high stakes and narrative urgency—resonating with post-pandemic audiences craving substance.
It also outpaced Rajkummar Rao’s Srikanth and Tiger Shroff’s War 2, both of which underperformed due to mixed reviews and formulaic scripts.
For a deeper look at 2025’s box office trends, see our analysis on [INTERNAL_LINK:bollywood-highest-grossing-films-2025].
International Markets Driving Global Success
Overseas, Dhurandhar has broken multiple records:
- UAE: Highest-grossing Indian film of 2025 so far (₹68 crore)
- USA/Canada: ₹142 crore from 550 screens—best opening for a non-festival Hindi film
- UK: Sustained top-5 position for three weeks
- Australia & New Zealand: ₹45 crore, with strong Indian diaspora turnout
Distributors credit the film’s universal themes—sacrifice, betrayal, redemption—for its cross-cultural appeal.
What This Means for Bollywood’s Future
Dhurandhar’s success signals a shift: audiences are rewarding intelligent, well-crafted cinema over recycled formulas. Its performance proves that mid-budget, content-driven thrillers can compete with—and beat—big-star, big-bang spectacles.
Expect studios to greenlight more grounded, high-stakes narratives in 2026, possibly sparking a new wave of investigative and espionage dramas akin to South Korea’s cinematic renaissance.
Conclusion: A New Benchmark for Indian Cinema
With its Dhurandhar box office collection soaring past ₹1025 crore, Aditya Dhar’s film has done more than make money—it’s redefined what’s possible for Indian action cinema. In an era of fleeting virality, Dhurandhar stands as proof that craft, conviction, and character still rule the box office. As the film inches toward ₹1100 crore, one thing is clear: this isn’t just a hit. It’s a legacy.
Sources
Times of India: Dhurandhar Crosses ₹1025 Crore Worldwide
Box Office India: Dhurandhar Collection Tracker
The Hollywood Reporter: Indian Films Dominate Global Niche Markets
Film Companion: Dhurandhar Review