📌 Key Points
- Kannada film ‘Toxic’ delayed to June due to Middle East conflict uncertainty.
- Jio Studios confirms ‘Dhurandhar 2’ release on March 19, unaffected by the conflict.
- The first ‘Dhurandhar’ wasn’t released in Gulf countries due to its portrayal of Pakistan.
- ‘Dhurandhar 2’ faces competition from Pawan Kalyan’s ‘Ustaad Bhagat Singh’ in Telugu states.
Amidst Middle East tensions causing film release delays, ‘Dhurandhar 2’ stands firm. Unlike ‘Toxic’, which postponed due to regional uncertainty, Jio Studios reaffirms ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ will premiere on March 19, unaffected by the conflict.
Toxic Postponed Amidst Middle East Uncertainty
On Wednesday, barely two weeks before it was set to release in theatres, Kannada film Toxic was pushed back to June. The makers announced they were postponing the release due to the ‘uncertainty in the Middle East’, a reference to the conflict between Iran, Israel, and the US. The Middle East is a big market for Indian films, and hence, Toxic’s postponement makes business sense. But Dhurandhar 2 , which is also slated for release on the same day, is committed to the date.
Yet, on Friday, Jio Studios reaffirmed that Dhurandhar: The Revenge will be releasing on March 19, as scheduled. The main reason why the Aditya Dhar film remains on course is that it will most likely not release in any of the Gulf countries anyway. The first Dhurandhar, which released in December, didn’t find a release in the six Gulf countries: Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. The reason was how it portrayed Pakistan as a haven for terrorism.
Dhurandhar 2 Unfazed by Regional Conflict
The Gulf countries are known for their soft stance towards Pakistan due to trade and cultural ties. As a result, any film deemed ‘anti-Pakistan’ by Pakistan itself does not find release in these countries as well. Given that Dhurandhar 2 is a continuation of the same story with the same characters and settings, it is also unlikely to release in the Middle East. Hence, any uncertainty due to war-like circumstances does not affect the film’s fate there.
The trailer of Dhurandhar 2 is set to be released on March 7, and the film will be released on March 19. Apart from Ranveer Singh in the lead role, Dhurandhar 2 also stars Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, and Sanjay Dutt. After the postponement of Toxic, Dhurandhar: The Revenge will get a solo release in all of North India. Its only competition on the day is Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh, which is likely to take some screens away in the Telugu states.
Gulf Release Unlikely Due to Pakistan Portrayal
Toxic also stars Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Tara Sutaria, Huma Qureshi, and Rukmini Vasanth in lead roles. The action entertainer now arrives in theatres on June 4.
While ‘Toxic’ postpones due to regional tensions, ‘Dhurandhar 2’ remains steadfast. Its release strategy bypasses potential Middle East issues, setting the stage for a solo North Indian release, save for competition down south.
