Bollywood film Dhurandhar has suddenly turned into a nationwide sensation. Before release, the buzz was minimal, but once the movie hit theatres, everything changed. Director Aditya Dhar’s gripping presentation—linking terror attacks with the Pakistan underworld—has impressed a large chunk of the audience. Even though a few voices are criticizing it, the negativity is having no effect on its performance.

Trade circles in the North report that Dhurandhar entered the ₹150 Cr (Gross) club within just three days—an extraordinary leap for a film that began with low hype.

In the Telugu states, the film received an unexpected advantage after Akhanda 2 got postponed. Several screens originally allotted to Balakrishna’s film were reassigned to Dhurandhar, and with strong Sunday occupancy, show counts surged across cities and towns.

Another interesting phenomenon is unfolding in Mumbai. The film is getting midnight and early morning shows, a privilege usually reserved for major blockbusters like Jawan, Pathaan, Animal, Gangubai Kathiawadi, and Pushpa 2. Dhurandhar has now joined that elite list.

What makes the success even more surprising is the film’s nature. It runs for over three hours, offers almost no commercial entertainment, and is dominated by Pakistan-set sequences with very few Indian locations. Yet Aditya Dhar keeps viewers glued throughout. Akshaye Khanna and Sanjay Dutt are receiving massive appreciation, while Ranveer Singh is being discussed only after their impactful performances.

With minimal competition in the market, Dhurandhar seems headed for a long and strong theatrical run.

Overseas too, the film is performing exceptionally well. It has crossed $2 million, and on Day 3 alone it collected nearly $800K, despite most ticket prices being under $15—a remarkable achievement for a film of this genre.