Dhurandhar 2 creates storm: Paid previews, record advance booking, round the clock shows - What to expect from Bollywood’s biggest opener of 2026

Dhurandhar 2

• Dhurandhar 2 sells over 15 lakh tickets before official release
• Paid previews boost pre-release revenue to Rs 50 crore or more
• Film releases in multiple languages with 20,000+ shows on Day 1

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Dhurandhar 2 has been creating a storm at the box office even before it officially hits the screens in less than an hour from now. The Ranveer Singh starrer has become one of the most anticipated movies of 2026 and fans can't wait to step into the theatres to catch the first show.

The official paid previews will begin at 5 pm on March 18, in Mumbai and Delhi. Fans have already booked their tickets to see what's in store this time as Hamza returns as Lyari ka Badshah.

After the super success of Dhurandhar, the build up to its sequel has been anything but ordinary. What was expected to be just a strong sequel has now snowballed into a full-blown box office event. Going by the record advance bookings, housefull shows at multiplexes - they are all pointing to one thing it is not just a film release, a phenomenon in motion.

Also Read: Dhurandhar 2 release live updates: Aditya Dhar’s latest post teases fans about Dhurandhar 3

Even before its official Day 1, which will be on March 19, the film has already begun rewriting opening benchmarks. It is all due to the paid preview strategy which was earlier limited to the southern region.

The paid previews, which begin from 5 pm today (March 18), have effectively turned the traditional opening day into a two-day affair.

The shows will extend into late-night and post-midnight slots and also several cinema halls are going to run round-the-clock screenings to meet the high demand.

If we say in trade language, this is no longer 'Day 0'. According to early estimates, Dhurandhar is likely to rake in anywhere between Rs 25 crore to Rs 40 crore only from paid previews. But there are projections that the number could be much higher.

Ticket pricing has played a crucial role in boosting the pre-release revenue of Dhurandhar 2.

What makes this particularly significant is that these numbers are genuine as some multiplexes has ticket price at Rs 3100 and there is also a genuine demand for the movie.

Going by these estimates, Dhurandhar 2 could easily walk into its first official day i.e March 19 with Rs 50 crore or more in collections.

15 lakh tickets already sold

The advance booking trends are very strong and the film has already sold well over 15 lakh tickets, with more than 10 lakh tickets attributed to Day 1 alone.

The Domestic advance booking is close to the Rs 50 crore mark whereas the global pre-sales have reportedly crossed Rs 100 crore already in some trade estimates.

Such high numbers are often associated with festival releases or established pan-India franchises.

Also Read: Did Aditya Dhar just tease Dhurandhar 3? 'Don’t leave your seats until...'

The pace of ticket sales is also very high and according to reports, bookings were clocking tens of thousands of tickets per hour.

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A post shared by Aditya Dhar (@adityadharfilms)

Such kind of surge was seen for mega releases like Pathaan, Jawan or KGF 2.

Multiplex chains have reported rapid sellouts in premium formats, while single screens in key territories are also witnessing strong traction.

Release in Multiple languages

Unlike Dhurandhar, the film's sequel is going to hit theatres across multiple languages - Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. There are reports of an estimated 20,000-plus shows lined up across India on opening day.

Though there have been hiccups too, as the Telugu and Malayalam paid preview shows were cancelled due to last minute changes. But it seems everything will be back on track for Day 1 release.

Talking about big cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad, the exhibitors have already introduced 24-hour screening cycles. It only happens when a movie has an extraordinary demand. While booking the tickets for Dhurandhar on BookmyShow, we also saw multiple shows of just Dhurandhar starting at 9 am and next show available in a gap of 15 mins due to the surge in demand.

Much of the hype can be attributed to a combination of multiple factors:

1. The success of Dhurandhar, which released on December 5, 2025 and was a surprise hit

2. The recall value of the first film has already created a strong fan base for the movie.

3. Dhurandhar 2 promises a bigger scale, higher stakes and a more expansive narrative

4. Ranveer Singh’s return as Hamza and his another role of Jaskirat

5. Director Aditya Dhar’s track record in delivering high-impact cinema

While talking about the movie, Aditya Dhar asked fans to not give away spoilers and that the viewers should sit till the end credits adding more suspense. With many fans thinking that the filmmaker is hinting at the third part of Dhurandhar.

Now the Timing is working in the film’s favour. Starting Thursday there is a long weekend thanks to the Eid Holiday. As a result higher footfall is expected.

Plus, the absence of major competing Hindi releases gives Dhurandhar 2 a clear runway to the movie. Some trade analysts are also describing the film’s trajectory as a 'tsunami' at box office.

If we go by conservative estimates, the domestic opening is going to be somewhere between Rs 90–100 crore range, and it could go up if we include the paid preview collections as well. On the global box office, a Rs 150–200 crore Day 1 does not seem out of reach.

Though the film has a long runtime of 3 hours 52 mins which could be a slight barrier if it is unable to deliver and hold the audience like its predecessor.

But for now Dhurandhar 2 has already achieved what most films only aspire to - turn into an event. Now it is up to the audience to decide its fate. For now Bollywood has its first true blockbuster moment of 2026 in Dhurandhar 2.