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. It paired slick action with India-Pakistan tensions while earning praise for its pace.
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. It's a slickly engineered spectacle, marrying propulsive action with a thundering, mood-shifting score and draws admiration for its scale and ambition.
However, the film's politics and ideological tone unsettle some viewers. Its storyline loosely draws on real South Asian flashpoints, including Pakistan's 'Operation Lyari' and India's demonetisation, blending geopolitics into its narrative.
Early reactions have been exuberant. Viewers emerging from the theatres call 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 fueled the hype, with Allu Arjun hailing its patriotism with swag and veteran Anupam Kher describing it as outstanding. Critics have taken a more layered view, acknowledging the film's craft while questioning its intent.
On social media platforms like Reddit, reactions are mixed, ranging from admiration to skepticism about its messaging. Many caution against allowing the massive buzz to inflate expectations.
The film's reach has extended beyond film critique, even sparking casual mentions in international contexts such as a jog in London by Finland's President Alexander Stubb, further cementing its cultural footprint.
Ultimately, Dhurandhar: The Revenge signals a revived interest in blockbuster cinema amidst a current landscape overwhelmed by streaming options, potentially reshaping the business dynamics of Bollywood.
