📌 Key Points
- Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ franchise crossed ₹3000 crore worldwide with just two films.
- ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ grossed over ₹1700 crore worldwide, setting Bollywood records.
- The sequel netted ₹100 crore in a single day multiple times during its opening weekend.
- The ‘Dhurandhar’ franchise has outperformed the six-film YRF Spy Universe in earnings per film.
Aditya Dhar’s two ‘Dhurandhar’ films have redefined Bollywood’s box-office landscape. The franchise quickly surpassed ₹3000 crore worldwide, outperforming established franchises like the YRF Spy Universe in terms of average revenue per film.
Dhurandhar’s Meteoric Rise to Box Office Success
The two Dhurandhar films from Aditya Dhar have been nothing short of genre-defining. The spy thrillers, released just three months apart, have changed the rules of Bollywood box-office collections. Earlier this week, as Dhirandhar: The Revenge crossed ₹ 1700 crore worldwide, the two films collectively crossed ₹ 3000 crore as a franchise. This made it only the second film franchise in Indian cinema history to breach the mark. By next week, the Dhurandhar films are expected to take the top spot, displacing the YRF Spy Universe . It is no mean feat for a two-film franchise to topple a six-film-strong cinematic universe, filled with over half a dozen big stars.
Record-Breaking Numbers: Dhurandhar’s Impact on Bollywood
The sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, arrived in March and shattered every Bollywood box-office record. The film became the first from Hindi cinema to net ₹ 100 crore in a single day, a feat it achieved three times during its opening weekend. It sailed past ₹ 1000 crore in a week and soon surpassed its predecessor. As of April 16, Dhurandhar 2 has earned just over ₹ 1025 crore net in India and ₹ 1720 crore worldwide. The makers claim the worldwide gross exceeds ₹ 1760 crore. Either way, the Dhurandhar franchise has crossed ₹ 3000 crore worldwide, with the upper estimate at ₹ 3110 crore for the two films.
Dhurandhar vs. YRF Spy Universe: A Franchise Showdown
Yet, by 2023, the franchise had overtaken Baahubali. But the box-office debacle of War 2 and the frequent delays in the release of Alpha have stalled the YRF Spy Universe now. The franchise has a worldwide gross of just over ₹ 3100 crore, spread across six films. Dhurandhar has reached there in four films fewer. With Alpha, the franchise’s first female-led spy thriller, slated for release later this year, YRF Spy Universe may reclaim its throne, but the lead won’t be formidable. Given that the industry is buzzing with rumours that a planned Tiger vs Pathaan movie may not be happening, YRF Spy Universe may never get a chance to consolidate on that.
Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ has become a formidable force in Indian cinema. Whether it can maintain this momentum against established franchises remains to be seen. It sets a new standard for blockbuster success with fewer films.
