There is a particular kind of electricity that only a packed cinema hall in India can generate - the whistles that greet a hero's slow-motion entry, the applause that rolls like thunder followed by the collective hush before a twist lands.
For a while, that electricity seemed to be fading. Streaming thinned crowds and big-budget films faltered. Even big releases opened to less than passionate responses.
And then, in December, came Dhurandhar.
By the end of 2025, the spy thriller hadn't just topped the box office - it had blown it open, grossing about $155m (£116.34m) worldwide and ranking among Hindi-language cinema's biggest hits.
The surge spilled into theatres: in February, India's largest multiplex operator PVR Inox reported footfalls rose nearly 9% year-on-year in the quarter to December, powered by Dhurandhar, whose record run helped lift the chain's overall box-office collections 13% last year.
That mood has only intensified with the release of its sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which opened last week to blistering demand.
More than 1.5 million tickets were snapped up in advance across five languages - early proof of a frenzy few films command.
At nearly four hours, the sequel is bigger, louder, and more indulgent than the original. Audiences are crowding the theatres. Cineplexes across India are packing in up to three dozen near round-the-clock shows daily, running from early mornings to late nights.
The sequel is creating history. It is shattering all previous records and redefining the box office. A true game changer, says Taran Adarsh, a film trade analyst.
The original three-hour-34-minute Dhurandhar delivered a high-octane mix of espionage, gang wars, and patriotic fervour. Anchored by actor Ranveer Singh's swaggering spy on a perilous Karachi mission, director Aditya Dhar's film paired slick action with India-Pakistan tensions - earning praise for its pace while fuelling a debate over its politics.
Dhurandhar: The Revenge picks up from that cliffhanger, deepening a long-running Indian intelligence operation inside Karachi's criminal and political underworld.
Shot back-to-back with the first film and released just three months later, the near four-hour-long sequel sees Singh joined by R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Sara Arjun.
A slickly engineered spectacle, the sequel marries propulsive action and raw violence with a thundering, mood-shifting score. It draws admiration for the scale, craft, and ambition, even as the film's politics and ideological tone unsettle some viewers.
Early reactions have been exuberant, with viewers emerging from theatres calling it paisa vasool - a punchy Hindi phrase for you got your money's worth. The runtime, far from deterring audiences, appears to have become part of the experience.
Prominent actors have only fuelled the hype. Allu Arjun hailed its patriotism with swag, Preity Zinta called it mind-blowing, and veteran Anupam Kher described it as outstanding - a film that makes you feel deeply proud of your country.
Critics have taken a more layered view of the film, acknowledging its craft while questioning its intent. One reviewer argues the film leans harder into volume and venom, sacrificing narrative depth for chest-thumping spectacle, while another critic points out that while the first film had its propaganda intent ...wrapped in pacy racy storytelling with terrific musical flourishes, the sequel is simply not as enjoyable.
Discourse around its political messaging raises questions about India's own democratic reflexes, as viewers dissect the film's portrayal of complex geopolitical situations and its alignment with current national policies.
The film's success signals a potential resurgence of the Bollywood blockbuster, reshaping audience expectations and rejuvenating the cinematic experience amidst changing viewing habits.
