When Aditya Dhar (the director behind Uri: The Surgical Strike) first announced Dhurandhar, the industry knew it was ambitious. A sprawling, three-and-a-half-hour spy thriller set against the backdrop of Karachi’s Lyari mafia, featuring an ensemble cast led by Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, and Akshaye Khanna. But no one—perhaps not even the makers—predicted the “Dhurandhar Tsunami” that would follow its release on December 5, 2025.

1. The “Sholay” Comparison: Beyond the Numbers

When Jyoti Deshpande compares Dhurandhar to Sholay, she isn’t just talking about the ₹1,350 crore worldwide gross. She is talking about audience ownership.

“This is not just a maker’s success; it is as much the audience’s success. It has been decades since we saw a film that has taken up the imagination of the movie-going public so completely,” Deshpande told Fortune India.

Why the comparison holds water:

• The Villain Factor: Just as Gabbar Singh became a household name, Akshaye Khanna’s portrayal of Rehman Dakait has become a cultural obsession. Despite only 22 days of filming, Khanna’s performance is being hailed as the greatest antagonist turn since Amjad Khan’s Gabbar.
• The “Mass” Connect: Dhurandhar successfully bridged the gap between “multiplex” slickness and “single-screen” madness. It didn’t just attract the elite; it brought families back to the theaters in rural India.
• Longevity: Most modern blockbusters fizzle out after two weeks. Dhurandhar is currently in its 10th week and still seeing housefull shows across major metros.

2. Rewriting the Box Office: By the Numbers

As of February 2026, Dhurandhar has officially decimated almost every domestic record in the book.

The film surpassed the Hindi version of Pushpa 2: The Rule (₹830 Cr) and Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan (₹643 Cr) to claim the undisputed #1 spot in the Hindi market.

3. The Secret Sauce: Aditya Dhar’s Vision

The success of Dhurandhar is a testament to Aditya Dhar’s meticulous world-building. He spent nearly four years on the script, creating a dense narrative framework that felt real, gritty, and dangerously close to history.

• The 214-Minute Risk: In an age of short-form content, Dhar released a film that was 3 hours and 34 minutes long. Critics initially worried about the runtime, but the audience proved them wrong—the pacing was so tight that viewers “didn’t want to blink.”
• Real-World Grounding: By weaving in historical events like the IC-814 hijacking and the 26/11 attacks, the film struck a nationalist chord that resonated deeply with the current Indian zeitgeist.

4. The “Karachi” World: Immersive Cinema

A large portion of Dhurandhar is set in Lyari, Karachi. The production design was so authentic that viewers often forget it was filmed across Mumbai, Amritsar, and Bangkok.

The film didn’t just tell a story; it transported the audience into the heart of a violent turf battle. This “immersive experience” is what drove repeat viewership—people went back just to live in that world again, much like the audiences of 1975 went back to the rugged hills of Ramgarh.

5. The Cultural Footprint: From Memes to Music

You know a film is a “Sholay-level” success when it transcends the screen.

• The Music: The title track by Hanumankind and Jasmine Sandlas has been used in over 1.1 million Instagram reels.
• The “Dakait” Dialogue: Akshaye Khanna’s lines are being used as catchphrases in daily conversation, a rare feat in modern “disposable” cinema.
• The Pakistan “Record”: In a shocking revelation, Deshpande noted that despite no official release, Dhurandhar has become one of the most-watched (albeit through unofficial channels) films in Pakistan, due to its Karachi-centric storyline.

6. The Producer’s Masterstroke: Strategic Marketing

Jyoti Deshpande and Jio Studios played a high-stakes poker game with the distribution.

• The Streaming Pivot: Even though they own JioHotstar, they sold the streaming rights of the first part to Netflix for ₹130 crore to build a global audience base.
• The Sequel Gamble: Dhar realized during post-production that the story was too big for one film. Instead of cutting it, they split it into two. This was a massive gamble that paid off, as Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge is now the most anticipated film of 2026.

7. Critics vs. The Public: A Divided Verdict

Interestingly, like many great films, Dhurandhar wasn’t a universal critical darling. It received a 42% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with some critics labeling it “hateful propaganda” while others called it a “brilliant masterpiece.”

However, this polarization only fueled its success. The “politics of the narrative” sparked national debates on news channels and social media, ensuring the film stayed in the headlines for months. As the producer rightly noted, when a film becomes a “tsunami,” individual reviews matter very little.

8. The Road to Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge

The saga isn’t over. March 19, 2026 is the date marked on every cinema lover’s calendar.

• The Pre-Release Hype: The sequel is already leading the race as the #1 most anticipated film on IMDb, beating out Yash’s Toxic.
• The Stakes: Dhurandhar 2 is expected to open with ₹100 crore on Day 1 globally. The producer has already confirmed that Part 2 will be “bigger, bolder, and even more successful.”

Conclusion: A Milestone Moment

Is Dhurandhar truly as successful as Sholay? In 1975, success was measured in “Silver Jubilees” (25 weeks). In 2026, it’s measured in “Data Net” and “Global Gross.”

While Sholay remains the soul of Indian cinema, Dhurandhar has become its new backbone. It has proven that if you give the audience a story that respects their intelligence and fulfills their need for spectacle, they will reward you with a historic run.

Jyoti Deshpande’s statement isn’t just a boast; it’s a marker of a new era. Bollywood is no longer “recovering” from the pandemic; it has officially entered its most dominant phase yet.

Executive Summary Checklist

• The Statement: Producer Jyoti Deshpande compares Dhurandhar to Sholay.
• Box Office: ₹831 Cr Domestic Net; ₹1,350 Cr Worldwide.
• The Director: Aditya Dhar (Uri fame).
• The Cast: Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan.
• Key Achievement: Highest-grossing Hindi film ever in domestic net collections.
• Next Milestone: Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge releases March 19, 2026.