The Dhurandhar duology is among the biggest blockbusters in Indian film history.
Aditya Dhar helmed the action thriller led by Ranveer Singh.
Recently, Imtiaz Ali revealed major studios initially doubted the success of mounting Dhurandhar.
Imtiaz Ali Reveals Why Studios Initially Hesitated Over Ranveer Singh’s 'Most Impractical’ Dhurandhar
Imtiaz Ali spoke about how Dhurandhar went from something major studios baulked at mounting to a textbook example for filmmakers to aspire for
Summary
Celebrated filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has lauded Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar’s action thriller Dhurandhar, noting that a project once dismissed as the "most impractical" venture with the "least likelihood of success" defied all odds to rewrite box-office records. The Main Vaapas Aaunga director claimed that the blockbuster has evolved into a crucial benchmark for directors attempting to decode contemporary audience tastes.
At the 24th Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, Ali gave his two cents on the current crisis in Hindi cinema, "I feel something very interesting is happening in the film industry. We are in that delicious phase where people are saying that nothing is working. Should we go with the big star, non-star... what is going to work? People are saying that attention span is missing in the audience, but the films which are doing well are three hours long. Nothing long is working. People are citing Dhurandhar as an example of what is successful, but look at the length of that film!"
Imtiaz Ali On Dhurandhar's Unexpected Success
He stressed, "Forgetting the fact that when Dhurandhar was actually conceived and it was doing its rounds of those studios, people thought that this was the most impractical film, with the least likelihood of success! But it broke all the rules, and after that everybody wants to make that. All of us are thinking about what will work. The language might change, but I feel it's a phase of introspection that the film industry is going through."
Dhurandhar Cast, Release, Success
Helmed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar delivered a monumental commercial run. Per industry tracker Sacnilk, the film kicked off powerfully in India with ₹28 crore on day one, amassing ₹207.25 crore in its debut week before surging further to collect ₹253.25 crore in week two. Following an impressive 84-day theatrical run, the thriller’s India net collection rose to ₹840.20 crore, propelling its worldwide gross to a ginormous ₹1,307.35 crore.
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Alongside Ranveer Singh, the ensemble cast features Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, and Rakesh Bedi in pivotal roles. Released across two chapters, the first part hit cinemas in December 2025, with its sequel following in March 2026. Combined, the two instalments etched their names in history as the first Indian film franchise to breach the ₹3,000 crore milestone at the worldwide box office.
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