One box office clash was averted when Yash's Toxic postponed its release from March 19 to June 4, but a new clash has emerged between Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar: The Revenge and Telugu action thriller Ustaad Bhagat Singh. Trade experts fear that Dhurandhar 2 may end up in the red, hurting Pawan Kalyan's film in the Telugu states.
Dhurandhar 2, directed by Aditya Dhar, is expected to be a national juggernaut, having earned ₹1000 crore gross in India for its first part. The sequel has a Telugu dubbed release, which has started well in the Telugu states, earning ₹15 lakh from 96 shows. In the US, Dhurandhar 2 has already grossed over $1 million in pre-sales for its premiere.
Ustaad Bhagat Singh, a long-awaited Pawan Kalyan film, is a remake of Vijay's Theri. The star's last film, OG, was a huge success, elevating the stakes for this one. The film is hoping to capitalise on the festive weekend, with Eid following a day or two after March 19.
However, trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai says that Dhurandhar 2's increased frenzy in the south may give it an edge over Ustaad Bhagat Singh. The first Dhurandhar earned just under ₹200 crore net from the four south states, without a dubbed version.
Reports say that the makers of Ustaad Bhagat Singh may push for a price hike to even the scales with Dhurandhar 2, but the trade fears this could backfire. Both films hit the screens on March 19 with paid previews on March 18 evening.
