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| Dhurandhar: The Revenge | |
|---|---|
| Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Aditya Dhar |
| Written by | Aditya Dhar |
| Additional screenplay | Ojas Gautam Shivkumar V. Panicker |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Vikash Nowlakha |
| Edited by | Shivkumar V. Panicker |
| Music by | Shashwat Sachdev |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Jio Studios |
Release date |
|
Running time | 229 minutes [1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | ₹250–255 crore (combined with part 1) [2] |
| Box office | ₹1,604.64 crore [3] |
Dhurandhar: The Revenge [a] is a 2026 Indian Hindi-language spy action-thrillerfilm written and directed by Aditya Dhar. It is produced by Dhar, Lokesh Dhar, and Jyoti Deshpande under Jio Studios and B62 Studios. It is a sequel to the 2025 film Dhurandhar and the final installment of a duology. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera, Danish Pandor, and Manav Gohil, with several actors reprising their roles from the first film. It follows an undercover Indian intelligence agent who continues to infiltrate Karachi's criminal syndicates and Pakistani politics while avenging the 26/11 attacks and confronting larger threats.
The film's storyline loosely incorporates multiple real-life geopolitical events and conflicts in South Asia, including Operation Lyari, the 2014 Indian general election, and the 2016 Indian banknote demonetisation. Shot back-to-back alongside the first film, principal photography began in July 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand, and concluded in October 2025. Filming took place across Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Thailand, with some areas doubling for Pakistan-set sequences. Like the first film, Shashwat Sachdev composed the film's soundtrack. With a runtime of 229 minutes, it is the eighth longest Indian film ever produced. [4]
Dhurandhar: The Revenge was released in theatres worldwide on 19 March 2026, coinciding with Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, and Eid. The film received mixed reviews, with praise for its performances, storytelling, soundtrack and criticism for its levels of violence and alleged nationalist propaganda and alleged Islamophobia [ undue weight? – discuss ]. Like its predecessor, it was banned in all Gulf Cooperation Council countries. [b] Nevertheless, the film quickly became a box office success and grossed over ₹ 1,000 crore within a week. [13] [14] As of its release, it is the fourth-highest-grossing Indian film of all time, the second-highest-grossing Hindi-language film worldwide, the highest-grossing Hindi-language film domestically, the third-highest-grossing film in India, the highest-grossing A-rated Indian movie, the highest-grossing Indian film of 2026 and the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2026 overall.
In 2000, Hamza Ali Mazari, then known as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, leaves his hometown of Pathankot to undergo military training. During his absence, a violent land dispute involving local MLA Sukhwinder Singh leads to brutal attacks on his family: his father is hanged and his sisters both gang raped, with his elder sister Harleen being murdered and younger sister Jasleen abducted. Upon returning, Jaskirat, with the help of his friend Gurbaaz, arms himself, murders Sukhwinder and the rest of his gang, and rescues Jasleen. He is subsequently arrested, tried, and sentenced to death. Before his incarceration, he entrusts Jasleen's future to Gurbaaz. [15]
In 2002, Jaskirat is abducted during a prison transfer and brought before intelligence officials Sushant Bansal and Ajay Sanyal. By 2004, he is recruited into a covert program to infiltrate Pakistani terror networks, given the new identity of Hamza Ali Mazari, and deployed to Kabul, where he severs ties with his past and operates under handler Mohammed Aalam. [c]
By 2009, following the death of Rehman Dakait in Lyari, Hamza manipulates local factions to ignite a war between the Baloch and Pathan gangs, resulting in the death of Pathan gang leader Arshad Pappu and the arrest of Rehman's brother Uzair Baloch, thereby consolidating Hamza's influence in Karachi while covertly advancing his mission. His actions draw him into the inner circle of "Bade Sahab" Dawood Ibrahim, who tasks him with facilitating narcotics operations to fund military operations. A group of Punjabi rebels are brought in to assist the operation, including Gurbaaz, shocking Hamza. During a party at Hamza's house, an intoxicated Gurbaaz confronts him in the bathroom and threatens to reveal his identity to the others, leading to a fight that ends with Gurbaaz dead. Aalam arrives to cover up the incident; when he is discovered, Hamza executes him in front of the guests. [16]
As suspicion grows, SP Chaudhary Aslam begins investigating Hamza but is killed in a suicide attack orchestrated by Hamza through the Balochistan United Force (BUF). Yalina, who uncovers Hamza's true identity, confronts him but ultimately agrees to remain silent for the sake of their son, Zayan. Sanyal and Bansal grant Hamza full autonomy to aggressively dismantle the rest of the terror network, leading Hamza to execute several key operatives including financier Javed Khanani and IC 814 hijacker Zahoor Mistry. Meanwhile, Aslam's second-in-command Omar uncovers Hamza's true identity by forcing it out of Yalina, and informs Major Iqbal.
When Dawood plans a large-scale attack on India, Hamza travels to Iqbal's madrassa to deliver weapons; during their meeting, Iqbal confronts Hamza as an Indian spy and stabs him, but a bomb planted by Hamza and the BUF in the weapons crates goes off, killing multiple militants. A firefight ensues in the streets between Iqbal's Mujahideen and the BUF (disguised as Pakistan Rangers); Hamza destroys Iqbal's transport with an RPG, has the BUF level the madrassa, and chases Iqbal to a shipping yard, where they fight until Hamza kills Iqbal in a kerosene tanker explosion. Hamza is subsequently captured and tortured by Omar, until Sanyal coerces his release by blackmailing the head of Pakistani intelligence, Shamshad Hassan, with evidence of his dealings with Israeli intelligence. Uzair is used as a scapegoat and framed as having been India's spy all along. [17]
Hamza is dropped off at a rendezvous and picked up by his father-in-law Jameel Jamali, who reveals himself as a longtime Indian asset who had been slowly poisoning Dawood while embedded in his network. Having completed his mission, Hamza abandons his alias, forced to leave Yalina and their son behind, and returns to India as Jaskirat Singh Rangi. Though commended for his service, he disappears before his formal debriefing and returns to his childhood home, observing his family from a distance. [18]
In the mid-credits scene, flashbacks depict Jaskirat's training with the Research & Analysis Wing. In the post-credits scene, Shamshad orders Omar into a mental asylum after he threatens to reveal Shamshad's release of Hamza to the National Assembly.
The sequel was developed as the second and final installment of the Dhurandhar duology. Initially planned as a single film, the filmmakers later decided to make the film a two-part release. [23] Both parts were shot together concurrently as a single film. [24] The original plan was to release one film, but the large amount of footage, scale, and narrative complexity led the filmmakers to split the film into two parts during the post-production process. [25] [26] Principal photography for both films took place between July 2024 and October 2025 across India and Thailand. [27] [28] Additional filming for the second part also took place in January and February 2026. [29] [30] [31]
The soundtrack was composed by Shashwat Sachdev, with lyrics written by Irshad Kamil and Kumaar. [32] The music rights were acquired by T-Series for ₹27 crore, replacing Saregama. [33] [34]
The song "Aaahh Men!" by Doja Cat was featured in the teaser of the film released on 3 February 2026, and also features in the film. [35] The first single, "Aari Aari", was released on 12 March 2026. [36] This song also featured in the film's trailer and is a remix of the 2003 eponymous song by Danish musical duo Bombay Rockers. [37] [38] The second single, "Main Aur Tu", was released on 17 March 2026. [39] The full album was released shortly after its launch, on the same day, at the NESCO Centre in Mumbai. [40] [41] The extended album with eleven additional songs was released on 24 March 2026. [42]
The film's soundtrack and musical score received praise; commentators felt that it played an effective role in enhancing the film's overall impact and was well incorporated into it, [43] [44] and that even though good, it was a notch below its predecessor's score, whose energy it did not match. [45] [46] [47]
A post-credits scene in the first instalment revealed the title and release date for the sequel. [48] Initially, reports suggested that the teaser would be screened alongside Border 2 in theatres on 30 January 2026. [49] [50] This plan, however, did not materialise. Dhar later announced that the teaser would be released separately in the near future. [51] The official teaser was unveiled on 3 February 2026. [52] However, the footage that was used in the teaser was the same one as the glimpse that appeared in the post-credit scene of the first part, albeit with some modifications. [53] The official trailer was revealed on 7 March 2026 and received positive response from the audience. [54] [55] [56]
Dhurandhar: The Revenge was released worldwide on 19 March 2026, coinciding with Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, and Eid al-Fitr. [57] [58] Alongside its original Hindi language, it was also released in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada, following massive fan demand. [59] [60] The film received an A (adults only) certificate from the CBFC for strong violence, along with a finalised runtime of 229 minutes after some violent visuals and profanities were censored. [1] [61] However, overseas screenings were reported to run for 235 minutes. [62] [63] Paid preview shows were scheduled on the evening of 18 March in all languages, although several screenings were delayed or cancelled, with Kannada and Malayalam shows particularly affected due to technical and censorship-related issues. [64] [65] [66] Like the previous part, the film was banned across countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council. [5] [67]
The post-theatrical digital streaming rights of the film were acquired by JioHotstar for ₹150 crore, replacing Netflix, which had held the rights for the previous film of the series. [68]
The film opens with a disclaimer stating that it is a work of fiction inspired by real events and should not be construed as an accurate depiction of historical fact. [69] [70] Despite this, the film incorporates several real-life terrorist attacks on India into its plot [71] and reimagines events and public figures from recent Indian political history, including the 2016 Indian banknote demonetisation and a fictionalised version of slain politician and gangster Atiq Ahmed. [72]
Several reviewers questioned the accuracy of specific factual claims in the film. Dainik Bhaskar reported that the film's depiction of the Atiq Ahmed-based character as involved in a counterfeit currency racket was contradicted by chargesheets filed by Uttar Pradesh Police, and that the film's timeline of events surrounding his arrest was incorrect. [73] The film also presents as established fact an unproven claim linking the character to weapons smuggling connected with Lashkar-e-Taiba and the ISI. [73] [12] The Federal noted that no documentation corroborated any Pakistani link beyond statements by Uttar Pradesh Police. [74] The Indian Express took a more measured view, describing the director's approach as blending real events with fiction as a deliberate storytelling device. [72]
The film attracted significant critical commentary regarding its political framing. Variety wrote that the movie exacerbates the already intense patriotic sentiments in modern India, where the Hindu majority, through Hindutva, is allowed to act with impunity in targeting minorities, and that the movie's level of violence raises it significantly above the more formulaic and uninspired array of Islamophobic narratives that have recently appeared in Indian cinema. [11] The Federal found that the film implies membership of any party opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is tantamount to receiving Pakistani funding. [74] The Economist noted that professional critics, listed in reviews for the movie on Rotten Tomatoes, regarded the films as propaganda for Narendra Modi personally. [75] Nissim Mannathukkaren, writing for The Hindu , argued that the film conflates the ruling party with the state, rendering other forms of political violence invisible while spectacularising nationalist violence. [76] Prathyush Parasuraman, writing for Frontline , argued that the film instrumentalises both Pakistani and Indian minorities within a nationalist framework. [77] Siddhant Adlakha, writing for IGN, argued that the film's repeated incorporation of real political events into its fictional narrative risks inflaming tensions around India-Pakistan relations and the antagonisation of Indian Muslims. [78]
The Independent reported divided opinion, with some viewers finding the film an immersive patriotic thriller and others arguing that it crosses into propaganda, and suggested the film's commercial success may cement hypermasculine nationalism as a durable formula in mainstream Hindi cinema. [9] The film received a range of characterisations from professional critics, including "naked political propaganda", [78] "pro-establishment propaganda", [79] "pro-government propaganda", [80] and "brazen propaganda". [81]
Not all commentators accepted the propaganda characterisation. Yasser Usman, writing for NDTV , argued the film should be understood within the long tradition of the Bollywood masala film rather than treated as a political manifesto. [82] Nirmalya Dutta, writing for The Times of India , praised the film as a rare example of competent popular myth-making and questioned whether the propaganda label was being applied consistently. [83] Writing for Open , a commentator argued that politically partial readings could equally be applied to acclaimed Western films such as Saving Private Ryan and Zero Dark Thirty , and that the popular reception of the Dhurandhar films reflected a broader mainstreaming of nationalist sentiment that critics had underestimated. [84]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 40% of 15 critics' reviews are positive. The Hindustan Times , reporting on 25 March 2026, when the website Rotten Tomatoes had 13 total reviews, found all 5 positive ones at the time "belong to Indian publications or reviewers", noting that "all the reviews from international publications or those written by foreign critics have slammed the film for both its violence and politics." [85]
Nicolas Rapold, writing for The New York Times , said the film "amps up the ultraviolence and the provocative mingling of heroic theatrics with India-Pakistan history." [71] Sowmya Rajendran, writing for Newslaundry , noted, "Despite its pro-establishment propaganda, the film worked with audiences across ideological beliefs because of its strong storytelling — a hero with grey shades, a sly villain, well-etched supporting characters, a convenient romance that didn't dilute the plot, adequate suspense and breakneck pacing. Part 2 is angrier, louder, and more blatant in its messaging. It's also emptier." [8] Shahana Yasmin of The Independent wrote "Critics say the scene establishes the film's central dynamic, portraying Pakistan-linked militants as brutal antagonists and Hindus as victims of cross-border terrorism. For many, the blend of history and mythmaking creates an immersive patriotic thriller. For others, it blurs the boundary between history and propaganda in a perfect representation of the kind of Hindu nationalist rhetoric that's flourishing under the rule of Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)." [9] IGN reviewer Siddhant Adlakha called the movie "in favor of naked political propaganda". [86]
Agnivo Niyogi, writing for The Telegraph, wrote the movie "has more gore, more violence and brazen propaganda. But it lacks the finesse that Dhurandhar at least could boast of." [87] Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times rated it 4 out of 5, noting it as "a roller-coaster thriller that may not match the first film's precision but is elevated by Ranveer Singh's powerful performance and a gripping second half." [7] Radhika Sharma of NDTV rated it 3 out of 5, and wrote "Dhurandhar 2 is an out-and-out Ranveer Singh show that brings pataakhe to Pakistan's terror network party and shreds it to pieces, figuratively and literally." [88] Divya Nair of Rediff.com gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and praised it as "an engaging, twist-filled entertainer with layered storytelling and strong impact, despite its politics, gore, and inconsistencies." [89] Chirag Sehgal of News18 rated it 3.5 out of 5, and wrote "the storytelling emerges as an equally powerful driving force. The film scores high on narrative depth, with a series of twists that make the plot consistently gripping, leaving you both surprised and intrigued." [90] Nandini Ramnath, writing for Scroll, said "Dhurandhar: The Revenge is Marco , L2: Empuraan or K.G.F: Chapter 2 , but with malice that meshes seamlessly with pro-government propaganda." [91]
Shubhra Gupta, writing for the Indian Express , gave the film 2 out of 5 and added that it fails to match the standard of the first part, noting "all the sabre-rattling hyper-nationalism acted out through hyper-masculine slo-mo striding becomes a blur all too soon". [92] Vineeta Kumar of India Today awarded 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Dhurandhar: The Revenge is not subtle cinema. It is loud, unapologetic, and absolutely certain of itself. But within that loudness lies design, control, and a clear cinematic voice." [93] Renuka Vyavahare of The Times of India rated it 3 out of 5, noting "a well-crafted, engaging saga that doesn't know when to stop," and describing it as "a relentless action extravaganza teetering on excess." [94] Mayank Shekhar of Mid-Day rated it 3.5 out of 5, and said it features "straight-off connections playing on your mind, so seamlessly blurring fantasy and non-fiction." [95] Sajin Shrijith of The Week rated it 3.5 out of 5, stating that it is "longer and paced differently compared to its predecessor," with some portions feeling "a bit more stretched out than necessary, specifically in the third act." [96] Nonika Singh of The Tribune gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "violence, too, gets a double X treatment: limbs chopped, heads rolling and foul language could well be its default setting." [97]
Tatsam Mukherjee of The Wire wrote "Dhurandhar: The Revenge is made for the same sycophantic audience, who tune into TV news each night. It's ugly, lopsided, and operating in bad faith to garner a viewership. It might issue a disclaimer of not being a 'documentary' at the start, but it doesn't mind using real-life traumas to fuel an ideological warfare that is less fictitious than Dhar and his crew would care to address." [98] Anuj Kumar, writing for The Hindu , wrote "Dhurandhar 2 roars, but in its deafening cocktail of patriotism and propaganda, it forgets the quiet cost of humanity, leaving little space for reflection." [99] Mamta Raut of Mashable India concluded the film is "a paradox," calling it "a brilliantly executed spy thriller" that "leans heavily into propaganda." [100] Sowmya Rajendran of The News Minute called the second part "angrier, louder, more blatant in its messaging, and ultimately emptier." [101] Lachmi Deb Roy of Firstpost rated it 3.5 out of 5, and called it "engaging, immersive, and ferociously intense," while noting the dialogues were "witty, emotional, and razor sharp," and the action was "well thought out" rather than mindless. [102] Devesh Sharma of Filmfare.com gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and described Dhurandhar: The Revenge as "a loud, gory, hyper-nationalistic spectacle that storms in with scale and swagger but forgets the value of brevity." [103]
Kartik Bhardwaj of Cinema Express labelled it "a masterful, stylish piece of mythmaking that mixes gripping storytelling with heavy political messaging." [104] Gayatri Nirmal of Pinkvilla praised the execution, and also observed "the second chapter feels slightly sluggish," and the background score does not match the impact of the first instalment. [105] Srujani Mohinta of Zee News wrote that "with patriotic and emotionally charged dialogues, adrenaline-pumping sequences, and heroic moments, the film comfortably fits into the category of a classic mass entertainer." [106] Sneha Bengani of CNBC TV18 said it was a spectacle-heavy sequel driven by Ranveer Singh's presence, yet weighed down by thin characterisation and excessive runtime. [107] Sakshi Salil Chavan of Outlook gave 2 out of 5 stars, and observed Dhurandhar: The Revenge "leans heavily into gore, violence and strong pro-government messaging," but "falls short of recreating the rich worldbuilding that defined the first film." [108]
The film grossed ₹75 crore from paid previews in select theatres the day before its official release, the highest ever for any Indian film, breaking the previous records of Stree 2 (2024) and They Call Him OG (2025). [109] [110] The film opened to ₹196–240 crore worldwide including premieres, the highest for any Bollywood film. [111] [112] [113] By the end of its opening weekend, the film had earned ₹759.91 crore worldwide, with overseas earnings of around ₹209.60 crore. [114]
Dhurandhar: The Revenge crossed ₹1,006 crore worldwide in its first week, making Dhar the second Indian director after S. S. Rajamouli to direct two successive ₹1,000 crore films. [115] [116] The film earned $20.80 million in North America within 9 days, [117] breaking Baahubali 2: The Conclusion 's $20.78 million lifetime record in the region. [118] [119] The film surpassed the lifetime collections of the first part by earning ₹1,365 crore worldwide in just 11 days. [120] It also became the highest-grossing Indian film in Australia. [121] Within two weekends, the film's global earnings reached ₹1,435 crore and crossed the ₹1,500 crore mark in its second week. [122] [123]
The dialogue "Mera Baccha Hai Tu", spoken by Jameel Jamali, a character portrayed by Rakesh Bedi in both Dhurandhar films, gained significant popularity on social media, becoming widely used in memes and short-form video content. Several brands, including Delhi Police, Wai Wai, Haldiram's and Vadilal, adapted the dialogue for marketing campaigns and promotional creatives. [124] [125] [126]
The development of the character of ISI's Major Iqbal essayed by Arjun Rampal is based on the shadowy handler of 26/11 plotter David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani American, who surveyed the targets of the Mumbai attacks. Major Iqbal finds mention in the affidavits filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).