Dhurandhar: The Revenge
Dhurandhar: The Revenge is the epic conclusion to a high-stakes Indian spy action-thriller duology, plunging deeper into the morally ambiguous world of espionage. It follows an undercover agent's relentless mission of personal vengeance intertwined with national security, battling criminal syndicates and confronting a bigger threat inspired by real events. This film doesn't just entertain; it sparked a massive debate about its blurring of fact and fiction, becoming both a box office phenomenon and a lightning rod for critical discussion. The film completes an intense narrative of a covert Indian agent's deeply personal quest for revenge against a backdrop of geopolitical conflict. It achieved record-breaking box office success, becoming one of the highest-grossing Indian films despite facing significant controversy over its political messaging. Critical reception was sharply divided, with some praising its thrilling action and compelling story, while others condemned it as overt government propaganda.
AI Summary
Dhurandhar: The Revenge is the epic conclusion to a high-stakes Indian spy action-thriller duology, plunging deeper into the morally ambiguous world of espionage. It follows an undercover agent's relentless mission of personal vengeance intertwined with national security, battling criminal syndicates and confronting a bigger threat inspired by real events. This film doesn't just entertain; it sparked a massive debate about its blurring of fact and fiction, becoming both a box office phenomenon and a lightning rod for critical discussion.
- The film completes an intense narrative of a covert Indian agent's deeply personal quest for revenge against a backdrop of geopolitical conflict.
- It achieved record-breaking box office success, becoming one of the highest-grossing Indian films despite facing significant controversy over its political messaging.
- Critical reception was sharply divided, with some praising its thrilling action and compelling story, while others condemned it as overt government propaganda.
A Spy's Reckoning: The Saga Concludes
Dhurandhar: The Revenge is the highly anticipated 2026 Indian spy action-thriller, written and directed by Aditya Dhar. Serving as the explosive sequel and final installment of the Dhurandhar duology, it promises an even more intense journey. This film continues the story of an undercover Indian intelligence agent, code-named Dhurandhar, as he navigates the treacherous underworld of Karachi and Pakistani politics.
His mission is complex, driven by a desire to avenge the devastating 26/11 Mumbai attacks and dismantle larger threats to India's security. But beyond geopolitical intrigue, a deeply personal quest for vengeance fuels his every move, blurring the lines between duty and retribution.
The Birth of a Ghost: Jaskirat's Tragic Origin
The story begins in 2000, introducing Hamza Ali Mazari as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, a young man from Pathankot. After leaving for military training, tragedy strikes his family. A brutal land dispute leads to the murder of his father and elder sister, and the abduction and gangrape of his younger sister, Jasleen.
Upon his return, a vengeful Jaskirat, aided by his friend Gurbaaz, eliminates those responsible and rescues Jasleen. He's subsequently arrested and sentenced to death, but before his execution, he entrusts his sister's future to Gurbaaz — a promise that will haunt him.
From Prisoner to Phantom: A New Identity
In 2002, Jaskirat's fate takes an unexpected turn. During a prison transfer, he's abducted and brought before high-ranking Indian intelligence officials. By 2004, he's recruited into a covert program, shedding his past identity to become Hamza Ali Mazari, an agent deployed to Kabul with handler Mohammed Aalam.
Rising Through the Shadows: Infiltrating Karachi
By 2009, Hamza has masterfully manipulated Karachi's criminal factions, orchestrating gang wars and consolidating his influence. He eliminates key figures like Arshad Pappu and facilitates the arrest of Uzair Baloch, all while secretly advancing his mission. These calculated moves draw him into the inner circle of the notorious 'Bade Sahab' — Dawood Ibrahim himself.
Dawood tasks Hamza with facilitating narcotics operations to fund militant activities, pulling him deeper into the abyss. During this period, Hamza is forced to make unimaginable sacrifices, including killing his friend Gurbaaz and his handler Aalam, whose cover is compromised. Each loss deepens his internal conflict, making him question the cost of his mission.
Exposure and Reckoning: The Final Confrontation
As suspicions mount, Chaudhary Aslam investigates Hamza, only to be killed in a suicide attack orchestrated by Hamza. Yalina, Hamza's wife, uncovers his true identity but agrees to keep silent for the sake of their son, Zayan. Meanwhile, Indian intelligence grants Hamza unprecedented autonomy to dismantle militant networks from within.
This leads to the elimination of crucial operatives, including financier Javed Khanani and IC 814 hijacker Zahoor Mistry. The stakes escalate when Dawood plans a large-scale attack on India, which Hamza covertly sabotages by planting a bomb within the weapons supply, causing massive casualties among the militants.
In a fierce gun battle, Hamza confronts and kills Major Iqbal in a kerosene tanker explosion. However, his cover is finally exposed by Omar, who uses Zayan as bait to force the truth from Yalina. Captured and tortured, Hamza's release is only secured when Indian intelligence blackmails Shamshad Hassan, head of Pakistani intelligence, framing Uzair Baloch as a scapegoat.
It is then revealed that Jameel Jamali, another Indian secret agent embedded in Dawood's network, had been slowly poisoning him. With his mission complete, Hamza abandons his alias and returns to India as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, severing ties with Yalina. Commended for his service, he disappears before debriefing, returning to observe his family from a distance, his final reconciliation left poignantly unresolved.
The mid-credits scene offers glimpses into Jaskirat's intense training with the Research & Analysis Wing, while the post-credits scene shows Shamshad ordering Omar into a mental asylum after Omar threatens to expose Shamshad's role in Hamza's release.
Behind the Scenes: Production and Music
Initially conceived as a single film, the immense scale, footage, and narrative complexity led filmmakers to split the story into a two-part duology during post-production. Both parts were shot concurrently as a single, sprawling production between July 2024 and October 2025 across India and Thailand.
The film's compelling soundtrack was composed by Shashwat Sachdev, with lyrics by Irshad Kamil and Kumaar. Music rights were acquired by T-Series for a substantial ₹27 crore. Notable tracks included 'Aaahh Men!' by Doja Cat in the teaser and 'Aari Aari,' a remix of the 2003 hit by Bombay Rockers.
Release and Box Office Phenomenon
Dhurandhar: The Revenge premiered worldwide on March 19, 2026, coinciding with major Indian festivals. Due to overwhelming demand, it was released not only in Hindi but also in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. The film received an 'A' (adults only) certificate for strong violence and profanity, with a final runtime of 229 minutes, though overseas screenings were slightly longer.
Despite technical issues and censorship delays for some shows, the film exploded at the box office. It grossed a staggering ₹75 crore from paid previews alone, breaking previous Indian film records. Its opening day saw ₹196–240 crore worldwide, the highest for any Bollywood film. By its first week, it had crossed ₹1,006 crore worldwide, making Aditya Dhar only the second Indian director to helm two successive ₹1,000 crore films.
The film's success continued, surpassing the first part's lifetime collections in just 11 days with ₹1,365 crore worldwide. It even broke Baahubali 2: The Conclusion's North American lifetime record and became the highest-grossing Indian film in Australia. Beyond the numbers, a dialogue, 'Mera Baccha Hai Tu,' became a viral social media meme, adopted by major brands for marketing.
Fact, Fiction, and Fierce Debate: The Political Messaging
Dhurandhar: The Revenge opens with a lengthy disclaimer, stating it's a work of fiction inspired by real events and not an accurate depiction of history. However, this didn't stop a torrent of discussion surrounding its factual accuracy and overt political messaging. The film references several real-life terrorist attacks on India and geopolitical conflicts in South Asia, including the 2016 Indian banknote demonetisation, weaving them into its plot with its own interpretations.
Critics like Tatsam Mukherjee of The Wire argued the film used 'Trojan horse devices' to praise Narendra Modi and weaponized patriotism, fueling an 'ideological warfare.' The Economist described it as combining 'the bodycount of John Wick, the gleeful gore of Kill Bill and the historical revisionism of Inglourious Basterds,' calling it 'undisguised propaganda' for Narendra Modi himself.
Siddhant Adlakha for Variety noted the film 'throws fuel on the already burning flames of modern India's de facto patriotic sentiments,' suggesting it gave 'free rein' to Hindu majoritarian nationalism. Others, like Prathyush Parasuraman of Frontline, observed a paradox: while hating the Pakistani state, it championed Pakistani minorities, yet seemed to champion the Indian state by demonizing Indian minorities.
The film's portrayal of specific events and figures, like Indian politician and gangster Atiq Ahmed, also drew scrutiny for inaccuracies and unproven claims, as highlighted by The Indian Express and Dainik Bhaskar. Critics like Aditya Shrikrishna for Maktoob Media pointed out the film's tendency to project post-2014 India as a 'geopolitical superpower' controlling Pakistan, and to characterize all Muslims as 'villains' rather than engaging with Islamophobia nuancedly.
Nissim Mannathukkaren in The Hindu argued that films like Dhurandhar enable 'the construction of a new kind of Indian citizen,' where nationalism is narrowly defined and intrinsically linked with violence, often conflating the ruling party with the state itself. He noted how the film 'glamorizes and spectacularizes' ghastly violence with pulsating music.
Overall, the film's contents were frequently described by reviewers as 'naked political propaganda,' 'pro-government propaganda,' and a 'deafening cocktail of patriotism and propaganda,' lacking purpose beyond its ideological messaging. Some specifically highlighted its depiction of the Modi government's demonetisation as a 'masterstroke' despite its real-world controversies.
However, not all critics agreed with the 'propaganda' label. Yasser Usman of NDTV suggested examining it within the tradition of the 'Bollywood masala entertainer' rather than a political manifesto. Nirmalya Dutta of Times of India praised it as a 'rare instance of competent myth-making' attuned to its audience.
Critical Reception: A Divided Verdict
The film's divisive nature was clear in its critical response. Rotten Tomatoes reported that only 40% of 15 critics' reviews were positive. Notably, Hindustan Times observed that all positive reviews came from Indian publications, while international critics largely 'slammed the film for both its violence and politics.'
Nicolas Rapold of The New York Times noted how it 'amps up the ultraviolence and the provocative mingling of heroic theatrics with India-Pakistan history.' Sowmya Rajendran of Newslaundry, while acknowledging the first part's wider appeal, found Part 2 'angrier, louder, and more blatant in its messaging. It's also emptier.' Shahana Yasmin for The Independent echoed this, stating it 'blurs the boundary between history and propaganda in a perfect representation of Hindu nationalist rhetoric.'
Yet, many Indian critics offered praise. Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times rated it 4/5, calling it a 'roller-coaster thriller' elevated by Ranveer Singh's powerful performance. Divya Nair of Rediff.com gave it 4/5 stars, praising it as an 'engaging, twist-filled entertainer with layered storytelling and strong impact, despite its politics, gore, and inconsistencies.' Chirag Sehgal of News18 highlighted its 'narrative depth' and 'consistently gripping' plot.
Conversely, Shubhra Gupta of Indian Express gave it 2/5, feeling it failed to match the first part, becoming a 'blur' of 'hyper-masculine slo-mo striding.' Renuka Vyavahare of The Times of India, while calling it 'well-crafted,' felt it was a 'relentless action extravaganza teetering on excess.' The Wire's Tatsam Mukherjee concluded it was 'ugly, lopsided, and operating in bad faith to garner a viewership,' while Anuj Kumar in The Hindu lamented that 'in its deafening cocktail of patriotism and propaganda, it forgets the quiet cost of humanity.'
Article
Dhurandhar: The Revenge
Dhurandhar: The Revenge is a 2026 Indian Hindi-language spy action-thriller film 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. Shashwat Sachdev composed the film's soundtrack. With a runtime of 229 minutes, it is among the longest Indian films ever produced.
Dhurandhar: The Revenge was released in theatres worldwide on 19 March 2026, coinciding with the celebrations of Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, and Eid. The film received mixed reviews, with praise for its performances, storytelling, soundtrack, and technical aspects, with criticism for its levels of violence and for containing alleged nationalist propaganda. Like its predecessor, it was banned in all Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Commercially, the film became a major box office success, grossing over ₹1,000 crore worldwide within its first week of release, as well as outgrossing its predecessor by several hundred crores. Grossing over ₹1,800 crore worldwide, it emerged as the second-highest-grossing Indian film of all time, the second-highest-grossing Hindi-language film worldwide, the highest-grossing Hindi-language film domestically, and the highest grossing A-rated Indian film of all time.
Plot
Dhurandhar: The Revenge
In 2000, Hamza Ali Mazari, then known as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, leaves his hometown in Pathankot to undergo military training. During his absence, a violent land dispute involving local MLA Sukhwinder Singh leads to attacks on his family: his father is hanged and his elder sister gang raped and murdered, and younger sister Jasleen abducted. Upon returning with weapons purchased from UP based mafia don and political leader Atif Ahmed, Jaskirat, with the help of his friend Gurbaaz, brutally murders Sukhwinder and the rest of his gang, and rescues Jasleen. He is subsequently arrested, tried, and sentenced to death, despite his lawyer requesting leniency due to indifference of the authorities. Before his incarceration, he entrusts Jasleen's future to Gurbaaz.
In 2002, Jaskirat is abducted during a prison transfer and brought before intelligence officials Ajay Sanyal and Sushant Bansal. By 2004, he is recruited into a covert programme to infiltrate Pakistani terror networks, given the identity of Hamza Ali Mazari, and deployed to Lyari via Kabul, where he severs ties with his past and operates under handler Mohammed Aalam.
By 2009, following the death of Rehman Dakait in Lyari, Hamza manipulates local factions to ignite a conflict between the Baloch and Pathan gangs, resulting in the death of Pathan gang leader Arshad Pappu and the arrest of Rehman's cousin brother Uzair Baloch, consolidating Hamza's influence in Karachi while 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 is brought in to assist, including Gurbaaz, unknown to Hamza. During a party at Hamza's house, an intoxicated Gurbaaz confronts him 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 and asks Hamza to kill him should his capture be imminent; when he is discovered, Hamza kills him in front of the guests with a heavy heart. The same night, Yalina uncovers Hamza's true identity and confronts him, but agrees to remain silent for the sake of their son, Zayan, and understanding his reasons of eliminating terrorism.
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). At a secret meeting in Dubai, Sanyal grants Hamza autonomy to dismantle the remaining terror network and initiate Operation Green Leaf, leading him to assassinate several key operatives, including a panicked terror financier and fake Indian currency maker Javed Khanani, whose fake currency became useless due to demonetisation, and IC 814 hijacker Zahoor Mistry, whose death is observed by Sanyal on a video call. Simultaneously, while going for a medical check, an imprisoned Atif Ahmed is assassinated by unknown gunmen live on news, shocking Major Iqbal, Sajid Mir, and many others. Meanwhile, Aslam's second-in-command Omar uncovers Hamza's true identity by extorting Yalina after holding Zayan at gunpoint, and informs Major Iqbal.
When Dawood plans an attack on India, Hamza travels to Iqbal's madrassa in Muridke 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 kills multiple militants. A firefight ensues 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 pursues Iqbal to a shipping yard, where they fight until Hamza kills Iqbal in a kerosene tanker explosion. After a final phone call with Yalina, Hamza is 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. Hamza suggests Uzair to be used as a scapegoat and framed as India's spy.
Hamza is 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, being forced to leave Yalina and their son behind for the sake of their wellbeing, and returns to India as Jaskirat Singh Rangi. Though commended for his service, Jaskirat disappears before his formal debriefing and returns to his childhood home, which he wistfully gazes from afar.
In the mid-credits scene, flashbacks depict Jaskirat's training with the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW). 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.
Production
Dhurandhar: The Revenge
The sequel was developed as the second and final installment of the Dhurandhar duology. Initially planned as a single film, the filmmakers later decided on a two-part release. Both parts were shot concurrently as a single production. The decision to divide the film was made during post-production, owing to the volume of footage and narrative complexity. Principal photography for both films took place between July 2024 and October 2025 across India and Thailand. Additional filming for the second part took place in January and February 2026.
Music
Dhurandhar: The Revenge
The soundtrack was composed by Shashwat Sachdev, with lyrics written by Irshad Kamil and Kumaar. The music rights were acquired by T-Series for ₹27 crore, replacing Saregama.
The song "Aaahh Men!" by Doja Cat was featured in the teaser released on 3 February 2026, and also appears in the film. The first single, "Aari Aari", was released on 12 March 2026. The song is a remix of the 2003 eponymous track by Danish musical duo Bombay Rockers and featured in the film's trailer. The second single, "Main Aur Tu", was released on 17 March 2026. The full album was launched the same day at the NESCO Centre in Mumbai. An extended album with eleven additional tracks was released on 24 March 2026.
Reviewers generally found the soundtrack effective in enhancing the film's impact, though some noted it fell short of the energy of the first film's score.
Marketing
Dhurandhar: The Revenge
A post-credits scene in the first instalment revealed the title and release date for the sequel. Initial reports suggested the teaser would be screened alongside Border 2 in theatres on 30 January 2026, but this did not materialise. The teaser was later released on 3 February 2026, using footage that had also appeared in the post-credits scene of the first part. The official trailer was released on 7 March 2026 and received great response from audience. Within 48 hours, the trailer received more than 312 million views across all social media platforms.
Release
Theatrical
Dhurandhar: The Revenge was released worldwide on 19 March 2026, coinciding with Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, and Eid al-Fitr. Alongside its original Hindi language, it was also released in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. The film received an A (adults only) certificate from the CBFC for strong violence, with a final runtime of 229 minutes after some violent scenes and profanities were cut. Overseas screenings ran for 235 minutes. Paid preview shows were scheduled on the evening of 18 March in all languages, though several screenings were delayed or cancelled; Kannada and Malayalam shows were particularly affected by technical and censorship-related issues. Like its predecessor, the film was banned across Gulf Cooperation Council countries. On 30 March 2026, a revised print was sent to the theatres after makers rectified some technical mistakes alongside the censoring of certain abuses in the dialogues.
Home media
The post-theatrical digital streaming rights across India were acquired by JioHotstar for ₹150 crore. In international territories, the film's uncut version (marketed as "Raw & Undekha") was released on Netflix on 15 May 2026. The uncut version included all unmuted cuss words, extended gory scenes, and some minor changes in several sequences. In India, the film's uncut version was released on JioHotstar on 5 June 2026. A day earlier, on 4 June, the film's grand digital premiere also took place on the platform along with interviews and candid conversations with the film's cast. Later, the film was also released on Netflix in India on 19 June 2026.
Reception
Critical response
Dhurandhar: The Revenge received mixed reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 36% of 22 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.10/10. Many reviews from international publications criticised the film for both its violence and politics.
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." Sowmya Rajendran, writing for Newslaundry, noted that despite its pro-establishment messaging the first film worked across ideological lines due to strong storytelling, and found the sequel "angrier, louder, and more blatant in its messaging" and "emptier". Shahana Yasmin of The Independent wrote that for some viewers the blend of history and mythmaking creates an immersive patriotic thriller, while for others it blurs the line between history and propaganda. IGN reviewer Siddhant Adlakha characterised the film as "in favor of naked political propaganda".
Agnivo Niyogi, writing for The Telegraph, wrote the film "has more gore, more violence and brazen propaganda" and "lacks the finesse that Dhurandhar at least could boast of." Trade analyst Taran Adarsh gave the film 4.5/5 stars and described it as a "masterpiece" and praised its scale, drama, emotions, action, performances and overall impact. Bollywood Hungama also gave the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, saying its emotional core distinguished it from the spectacle. Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times rated it 4 out of 5, describing 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." Radhika Sharma of NDTV rated it 3 out of 5. Divya Nair of Rediff.com gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "an engaging, twist-filled entertainer with layered storytelling and strong impact, despite its politics, gore, and inconsistencies." Chirag Sehgal of News18 rated it 3.5 out of 5, noting a gripping plot with several narrative twists. Nandini Ramnath, writing for Scroll, compared the film to Marco, L2: Empuraan, and K.G.F: Chapter 2, but with what she described as pro-government propaganda woven into the action.
Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 2 out of 5, writing that it fails to match the first part and that the hyper-nationalism and hyper-masculinity quickly blur together. Vineeta Kumar of India Today awarded 3.5 out of 5 stars, calling it "loud, unapologetic, and absolutely certain of itself" while crediting the film with a consistent cinematic voice. Renuka Vyavahare of The Times of India rated it 3 out of 5, describing it as "a relentless action extravaganza teetering on excess." Mayank Shekhar of Mid-Day rated it 3.5 out of 5. Sajin Shrijith of The Week rated it 3.5 out of 5, finding the film "longer and paced differently compared to its predecessor," with the third act feeling stretched. Nonika Singh of The Tribune gave the film 3 out of 5, writing that violence is "its default setting."
Tatsam Mukherjee of The Wire wrote that the film uses real-life traumas to fuel ideological messaging that is "less fictitious than Dhar and his crew would care to address." Anuj Kumar of The Hindu wrote that the film "roars, but in its deafening cocktail of patriotism and propaganda, it forgets the quiet cost of humanity." Mamta Raut of Mashable India called the film "a paradox," describing it as a competently executed spy thriller that "leans heavily into propaganda." Lachmi Deb Roy of Firstpost rated it 3.5 out of 5, calling it "engaging, immersive, and ferociously intense" while noting the action was purposeful rather than gratuitous. Devesh Sharma of Filmfare.com gave 3.5 out of 5, describing the film as "a loud, gory, hyper-nationalistic spectacle that storms in with scale and swagger but forgets the value of brevity."
Kartik Bhardwaj of Cinema Express labelled it "a masterful, stylish piece of mythmaking that mixes gripping storytelling with heavy political messaging." Gayatri Nirmal of Pinkvilla praised the execution while observing that the second chapter "feels slightly sluggish" and the background score does not match the impact of the first instalment. Srujani Mohinta of Zee News described it as fitting the category of a mass entertainer with emotionally charged sequences. Sneha Bengani of CNBC TV18 called it a spectacle-heavy sequel driven by Ranveer Singh's screen presence but weighed down by thin characterisation and an excessive runtime. Sakshi Salil Chavan of Outlook gave 2 out of 5 stars, writing that the film "leans heavily into gore, violence and strong pro-government messaging" but "falls short of recreating the rich worldbuilding that defined the first film."
Box office
Dhurandhar: The Revenge grossed over ₹1,852 crore (US$190 million) worldwide, becoming the second-highest-grossing Indian film of all time. It collected ₹1,361 crore (US$140 million) in India and ₹475.93 crore (US$49 million) in overseas market without releasing in GCC countries and China. The film recorded final footfalls of over 4 crore admissions during its theatrical run. It eventually became 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 Indian film of 2026 and the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2026 overall worldwide.
The film grossed ₹75 crore from paid previews on 18 March 2026, a day before the official release of the film, breaking the previous Indian record held by Stree 2 (2024) and They Call Him OG (2025). The film earned ₹130–174 crore on its opening day 19 March 2026, 196–240 crore worldwide including the previous day's premieres. This marked the highest opening day for a Bollywood film, surpassing the previous record held by Adipurush. The global opening weekend gross was over $80 million, only behind Project Hail Mary. By the end of its opening weekend, the film had earned ₹759.91 crore worldwide, with overseas earnings of around ₹209.60 crore. The film's global earnings reached ₹1,435 crore by the end of its second weekend and crossed ₹1,500 crore in its second week. It was the fastest Indian film to cross ₹1,500 crore worldwide.
On 5 April 2026, the film became the first Indian film to cross $25 million in North America and the highest-grossing Indian film in Germany. By the end of its opening weekend, the film had earned ₹759.91 crore worldwide, with overseas earnings of around ₹209.60 crore. On 6 April, the film became the first Hindi film to cross ₹1,000 crore net collections in India across all languages. The combined worldwide gross of the Dhurandhar duology surprassed ₹3,203 crore (US$330 million), and it has been called the highest grossing Indian film franchise, surpassing Baahubali and Pushpa franchise. India Today reported that Dhurandhar: The Revenge has emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film worldwide excluding China and GCC countries; where the film wasn't released. In overseas market, In its fifth week of release, the film became the highest grossing Indian film in UK, Australia and New Zealand with £4.388 million, $8.255 million and $1.295 million respectively.
Factual accuracy and political messaging
Dhurandhar: The Revenge
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. Despite this, the film incorporates several real-life terrorist attacks on India into its plot 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.
Several reviewers questioned the accuracy of specific factual claims. 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. The film also presents as established fact an unproven claim linking that character to weapons smuggling connected with Lashkar-e-Taiba and the ISI. The Federal noted that no documentation corroborated any Pakistani link beyond statements by Uttar Pradesh Police. The Indian Express described the director's approach as blending real events with fiction as a deliberate storytelling device.
The film attracted significant critical commentary regarding its political framing. Variety wrote that the film intensifies existing patriotic sentiment and that its level of violence places it above other recent examples of anti-Muslim narrative in Indian cinema. The Federal found that the film implies membership of any party opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is tantamount to receiving Pakistani funding. The Economist noted that professional critics on Rotten Tomatoes broadly characterised both films as propaganda for Narendra Modi. 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. Prathyush Parasuraman, writing for Frontline, argued that the film instrumentalises both Pakistani and Indian minorities within a nationalist framework. 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 treatment of Indian Muslims. Vineeta Kumar, writing for India Today, argued that the film's target is Pakistani state-sponsored terrorism rather than Pakistan or Muslims broadly, and that its position aligns with that of the Indian government.
The Independent reported divided audience opinion and suggested the film's commercial success may reinforce hypermasculine nationalism as a durable formula in mainstream Hindi cinema. The film received characterisations from professional critics including "naked political propaganda", "pro-establishment propaganda", "pro-government propaganda", and "brazen propaganda".
Not all commentators accepted the propaganda characterisation. Yasser Usman, writing for NDTV, argued the film should be understood within the tradition of the Bollywood masala film rather than treated as a political manifesto. Nirmalya Dutta, writing for The Times of India, questioned whether the propaganda label was being applied consistently across films. Writing for Open, a commentator argued that similarly partial readings could be applied to acclaimed Western films such as Saving Private Ryan and Zero Dark Thirty.
In popular culture
Dhurandhar: The Revenge
The dialogue "Mera Baccha Hai Tu" (transl. you are my child), spoken by the character Jameel Jamali (Rakesh Bedi) in both Dhurandhar films, gained circulation on social media and in memes and short-form video content. Several brands and agencies, including Delhi Police, Wai Wai, Haldiram's, and Vadilal, adapted the dialogue for marketing campaigns.