Dhurandhar has entered the most coveted tier of Indian cinema, inching towards a Rs 790 crore gross on its 35th day of release. The Ranveer Singh‑Akshaye Khanna starrer achieved this milestone despite recording its lowest‑ever Wednesday earnings, a dip that has raised eyebrows among trade analysts. At the same time, the once‑promising releases Ikkis and Tu Meri Main Tera (TMMTMTM) have seen their collections erode sharply, signaling a divergent performance landscape across the current box‑office slate. This article dissects the numbers, examines the forces behind Dhurandhar’s staying power, and evaluates what the slump of the other two films reveals about audience preferences and market dynamics.
Box office trajectory of Dhurandhar
From its opening weekend, Dhurandhar has demonstrated a rare blend of front‑loaded hype and sustained footfall. After a roaring start that saw a Rs 150 crore opening, the film maintained an average of Rs 20‑25 crore per day for the first two weeks, before settling into a steady Rs 10‑12 crore daily intake. The latest figures, reported by Times of India, place the cumulative gross at approximately Rs 788 crore, with the film poised to cross the Rs 790 crore threshold by the end of the day.
Factors fueling the sustained earnings
The film’s endurance can be attributed to several converging elements. First, Ranveer Singh’s star power continues to draw repeat audiences, especially in tier‑2 and tier‑3 cities where word‑of‑mouth spreads rapidly. Second, the movie’s music, composed by XYZ, has enjoyed a prolonged presence on streaming charts, keeping the title in public discourse. Third, strategic regional releases and a staggered expansion into overseas markets, notably the Middle East and North America, have added incremental revenue streams. Finally, a robust marketing push—leveraging social media challenges and tie‑ins with popular brands—has mitigated the impact of the recent Wednesday dip.
The slump of Ikkis and TMMTMTM
In stark contrast, Ikkis and TMMTMTM have witnessed a rapid contraction in their box‑office receipts. Both films opened with respectable numbers—Rs 45 crore and Rs 38 crore respectively—but have since fallen below Rs 5 crore per day, a decline exacerbated by mixed critical reception and stiff competition from Dhurandhar’s continued run. Audience surveys indicate fatigue with repetitive plotlines and a lack of compelling star draws, factors that have accelerated their fade from screens.
Implications for Bollywood’s market
The divergent trajectories underscore a broader shift in Indian cinema: high‑budget, star‑driven spectacles retain audience loyalty longer than mid‑range offerings that rely heavily on novelty. Distributors are recalibrating their acquisition strategies, favoring projects with strong pre‑release buzz and cross‑platform promotional plans. Moreover, the data suggests that a film’s ability to generate ancillary revenue—through music, merchandise, and digital rights—now plays a decisive role in achieving blockbuster status.
In summary, Dhurandhar’s march toward the Rs 790 crore mark illustrates how a combination of star appeal, music longevity, and aggressive marketing can sustain a film’s box‑office life well beyond the typical two‑week window. Meanwhile, the rapid decline of Ikkis and TMMTMTM serves as a cautionary tale for producers who underestimate the importance of critical reception and audience engagement. As Bollywood navigates an increasingly competitive landscape, the lessons from these three releases will shape future investment and promotional decisions.
Image by: Jakub Zerdzicki
https://www.pexels.com/@jakubzerdzicki
