‘Dhurandhar 2’ Box Office Milestone Could Be Short-Lived as ‘Ramayana’ Aims For Far Bigger Benchmarks This Diwali

In 2008, Aamir Khan introduced Hindi cinema to the concept of the ₹100 crore club with A.R. Murugadoss' “Ghajini”. The psychological action thriller achieved the 100 crore milestone within four weeks, setting a new benchmark for box office success. Just a year later, he raised the bar even higher and not only hit the century mark again in just 10 days but also introduced the ₹200-crore box office club with Rajkumar Hirani's “3 Idiots” in 2009.

Aamir continued setting new benchmarks and introduced another box office milestone, the “₹300 crore club", five years later with “PK”. However, the triple century remained exclusive only for two years, 14 months and 8 days, as S.S. Rajamouli's “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” not only crossed ₹400 crore but also ₹500 crore at the Hindi box office in 2017. The pan-Indian historical drama claimed the top domination for 5 years and 8 months (2087 days) before Shah Rukh Khan's “Pathaan” dethroned it in February 2023.

SRK also introduced Bollywood to the ₹600 crore club with Atlee's “Jawan” in the same year. Over a year later, Allu Arjun's “Pushpa 2: The Rule” achieved that feat in only 13 days and went on to become the first Indian film to exceed ₹700 crore and ₹800 crore net in Hindi. That record also didn't hold for long, as Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar's action spectacle “Dhurandhar 2” has broken all those records to emerge as the biggest Bollywood blockbuster to date.

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“Dhurandhar 2” is now rapidly moving towards the dreamy ₹900 crore and ₹1000 crore net milestone at the Hindi box office. The film has crossed these different century benchmarks in record times and even earned ₹100 crore in a single day for two consecutive days, underscoring the immense potential of the Indian theatrical market. And while these numbers are indeed historic, the records aren't expected to last long. Nitesh Tiwari's "Ramayana", starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita and Yash as Ravana, is expected to surpass “Dhurandhar 2” this year itself.

“Ramayana” is expected to be the biggest box office phenomenon India has ever witnessed. Unlike “Dhurandhar 2”, which faced limitations due to its A-rating, it also alienated female audiences because of bloody action scenes. Even the family audiences stayed away. However, “Ramayana” carries universal appeal. It's a story that transcends age and demographic barriers, making it accessible to a far broader audience base. The cultural and emotional connect of the narrative is expected to draw viewers across generations to cinemas.

The recently released promo of the film has already set the tone for what audiences can expect. The Indian film industry has already started beaming with energy for what this film might become at the box office. “Ramayana” is a kind of project that brings every kind of audience together, and when they're treated on par with their expectations, the sky is the limit for its business. “Dhurandhar 2” demonstrated the soaring heights the Indian box office can achieve; “Ramayana” is expected to unlock its full potential. The film industry, which is currently celebrating the ₹1000 crore milestone, is readying itself for an even bigger celebration on Diwali, with experts predicting at least ₹2000 crore from the domestic box office alone.

What sets “Ramayana” apart from previous Indian blockbusters is its ambitious global rollout. Producer Namit Malhotra is planning an unprecedented worldwide release, targeting the widest possible reach across continents and premium viewing formats. Malhotra has promised to present Lord Rama's story on a truly global scale and is leaving no stone unturned to make it a reality. The film is aiming for numbers no one has even dreamt of achieving.

Despite the challenges, Bollywood continues to evolve and expand its commercial horizon. “Dhurandhar 2” has already elevated theatrical business potential, and “Ramayana” is only set to take it even further. Indeed, acche din for Indian cinema!