‘Pushpa 2’ Still Untouchable: ‘Dhurandhar 2’ Falls Short of Historic Opening Record

March 21, 2026 Published by rajeshe092eb6a68

Even months after its release, Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule remains the undisputed benchmark when it comes to opening day box office records in India. The Sukumar directorial stormed past an unprecedented ₹200 crore on Day 1 (India gross, all languages), a feat no Indian film has managed to match so far.

The latest contender, Dhurandhar: The Revenge (Dhurandhar 2), arrived with massive hype and strong advance bookings, but couldn’t quite breach that historic mark. The Ranveer Singh-led action drama reportedly opened to around ₹180 crore in India, while adding nearly ₹64 crore from overseas circuits—taking its global Day 1 total to an impressive ₹240 crore.

While those numbers are massive by any standard, Pushpa 2 still leads comfortably in terms of domestic opening impact. A major driving force behind its dominance was its explosive performance in the Hindi belt, where it turned into a phenomenon and pulled in extraordinary footfalls.

Trade experts point out that release strategy played a crucial role. Pushpa 2 benefited from a wide multi-language rollout, ensuring deep penetration across markets. In contrast, Dhurandhar 2 opted for a Hindi-only release, missing out on the added boost from southern markets like Telugu and Tamil.

As things stand, Pushpa 2 continues to sit firmly at the top of the Day 1 charts, setting a benchmark that remains out of reach—even for the biggest event films.

On the other hand, Allu Arjun is already gearing up for his next big venture with director Atlee. Currently being shot in Mumbai, the project is generating strong early buzz, with expectations of yet another box office juggernaut in the making.