The Aditya Dhar-directed spy thriller Dhurandhar made headlines as soon as it hit theaters on Friday. Although its advance bookings were weaker than expected before the release, the changing trends on release day surprised everyone.
Amidst positive audience reactions and increasing buzz on social media, the film performed exceptionally well at the box office on its first day.
Massive surge after a slow start
The film started slowly on release day morning with an occupancy of approximately 16% across the country. But as the shows progressed, the crowds of viewers began to increase. By afternoon, the occupancy had crossed 28%. This was a clear indication that word of mouth was working in the film's favor.
According to Sacnilk's report, Dhurandhar earned Rs 27.04 crore on day 1. On the other hand, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda's debut film Saiyaara earned Rs 21 crore on opening day. With this, Ranveer Singh starrer has becomes the biggest opener of the year.
Ranveer Singh's grand comeback
For some time now, Ranveer Singh's films have had mixed results at the box office. In such a situation, the first day of Dhurandhar has proved to be a relief for him. Leaving behind films like Padmaavat, 83, Ram-Leela, and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Dhurandhar has also become the highest-grossing film of Ranveer's career on its first day.
The big advantage of 5000 screens
The film was released on approximately 5000 screens in India, which gives it a strong hold in both the single-screen and multiplex circuits. Although the initial advance bookings were only around Rs 9 crore, the audience's reaction saved the film.
Film's story and star cast
The story of Dhurandhar is set in Pakistan in the early 2000s, where Ranveer Singh plays the role of an Indian spy who is on a mission to break the network of Lyari gangs. The film is inspired by real events and its action sequences and backdrop have been widely discussed.
The star cast is also impressive, actors like Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal and R Madhavan and Sara Arjun lend strength to the story. Aditya Dhar's directorial quality and the international-level production design are also contributing to the film's buzz.
The rest depends on the weekend
The strong opening day has raised expectations. If the film continues to show similar growth on Saturday and Sunday, it could become Ranveer Singh's biggest post-pandemic hit. Trade pundits believe the film has the potential to cross the Rs 70-75 crore mark over the weekend.
Also Read: Spy thriller to watch on OTT if you loved Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar
