R. Madhavan says fans from the UAE are planning to fly to India to watch Dhurandhar 2 ahead of the March 19 release

R. Madhavan says fans from the UAE are planning to fly to India to watch Dhurandhar 2 ahead of the March 19 release

• Fans from UAE flew to India to watch Dhurandhar in theatres
• Dhurandhar 2 releases March 19, 2026, amid high anticipation
• The franchise's first film was banned in several Gulf countries

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As the countdown continues for the theatrical release of Dhurandhar 2 on March 19, 2026, actor R. Madhavan has offered a striking glimpse into just how fervent fan anticipation has become — especially among moviegoers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf countries where the franchise’s first instalment was banned.

The actor, in an interview with Sonia Shenoy, for her YouTube channel, who reprises his role in the highly anticipated espionage sequel, said that some fans from the UAE actually flew to India just to watch the original Dhurandhar in theatres before returning home.

He said, "Traditionally, we’ve been making movies around the India – Pakistan war or our freedom struggle. That has been our action space and our core go-to in terms of storytelling. But the younger generation doesn’t even want that anymore. They’re like samajh gaya main, kitni baar bologe? (I’ve understood it, how many times will you say it?) And I think after Dhurandhar, that whole India – Pakistan thing is going to go. That’s the full stop now."

He described this phenomenon as “the power of good content,” estimating that while viewers could easily stream or watch the film privately, the communal experience of watching it with a theatre audience makes the trip worthwhile.

The actor added, "If you look at Dhurandhar, people from Dubai actually flew down, for one day, to watch the film and then flew back. That is the power of good content."

"Now they’re planning their business meetings around March 19 when Dhurandhar: The Revenge is releasing, they’ll go there for meetings, watch the film, and then return, as it’s banned in the UAE. For them, it would be so easy to just watch it on IPTV, okay? And I’m sure they could. But they want to experience watching a film like Dhurandhar in a theatre full of people. That gives you a community experience. Cinema allows that. Watching the same film alone at home feels completely different. It’s like performing dandiya in front of the TV. Dandiya is something you go out and play on the ground, with people around you," the 55-year-old concluded.

Dhurandhar 2 is the second chapter in the high-octane spy series directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh as Indian intelligence agent Hamza Ali Mazhari, whose missions span high-stakes interrogation, infiltration and geopolitical tension. The first film — Dhurandhar — has been both a massive box-office success and a subject of conversation due to its ban in several Gulf states, including the UAE, and its thematic focus on espionage.

Also read: Shatrughan Sinha defends Dhurandhar, calls Ranveer Singh-starrer an absolute masterpiece

With such strong word-of-mouth and international enthusiasm, Dhurandhar 2 is already shaping up to be one of the year’s most talked-about releases, prompting fans to travel across borders just to be part of the theatrical experience.