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    EYE ON BOLLYWOOD                                                       MARCH 13, 2026      |  The Indian Eye 34

                     A Clearer Run for ‘Dhurandhar 2’:

                 How ‘Toxic’ Delay Has Reshaped the

                                                 March Box Office

            In the weeks leading up to the scheduled clash, Toxic had generated significant excitement.

                      The film’s dark, stylized teasers hinted at a violent and atmospheric narrative

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            creasingly important role in box office
                                                                                                                  revenues, producers are often cau-
            Mumbai
                                                                                                                  tious about releasing big-budget films
                  ollywood’s box office calendar                                                                  during periods of uncertainty.
                  often resembles a high-stakes                                                                       For Dhurandhar 2, however, the
            Bchessboard, where release                                                                            shift means breathing room.
            dates shift, alliances change and unex-                                                                   Sequels often carry high expec-
            pected moves reshape the field over-                                                                  tations, especially when they follow
            night.  This  March,  one  such  move                                                                 successful originals. Industry watch-
            has dramatically altered the equation.                                                                ers had anticipated that the Ranveer
            The postponement of Dhurandhar                                                                        Singh-led film would face a tough test
            2: The Revenge’s biggest rival—Tox-                                                                   if it opened opposite Toxic, given the
            ic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups—has                                                                    scale and cross-industry appeal of
            suddenly given the Ranveer Singh-led                                                                  Yash’s project.
            sequel a clearer path in theatres.                                                                        With that contest delayed, the
                For months, the industry had been                                                                 sequel now stands as one of the most
            preparing for a crowded and com-                                                                      prominent  Hindi  releases  in  the
            petitive mid-March window. Among                                                                      March window.
            the biggest attractions was Toxic, the                                                                    That does not mean it will be en-
            much-anticipated action thriller star-                                                                tirely alone. Another film has moved
            ring Kannada superstar Yash and di-                                                                   swiftly to occupy the date vacated by
            rected by Geetu Mohandas. The film   The makers of Ustaad Bhagat Singh, starring Pawan Kalyan, have advanced their release    Toxic. The makers of Ustaad Bhagat
            had built considerable buzz through                  from March 26 to March 19 (File photo)           Singh, starring Pawan Kalyan, have
            its teasers,  striking  visuals  and  the                                                             advanced their release from March 26
            scale  of  its  multi-language  release.                                                              to March 19.
                Originally scheduled to arrive in   en in the interest of both partners and   Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam, reflect-  Announcing the shift on social
            cinemas on March 19, Toxic was ex-  audiences. “Therefore, in the interest   ing the increasingly pan-Indian nature   media, the producers wrote: “Ustad
            pected to collide directly with Dhu-  of our partners and our audience, we   of modern blockbuster filmmaking.  massacre this Ugadi. Our USTAAD
            randhar 2, Aditya Dhar’s sequel head-  have made the difficult but carefully   Even its music rollout had been   arrives a week early to spark massive
            lined by Ranveer Singh. The clash had   considered decision to reschedule our   designed with scale in mind. The   celebrations at the box office.”
            the makings of a pan-Indian spectacle,  release.”                   film’s first single, Tabaahi, composed   For Bollywood observers, the
            pitting two star-driven films with large   The delay has effectively reshuf-  by Vishal Mishra, was launched in   reshuffle highlights how fluid release
            fan bases against each other.     fled the competitive landscape of the   multiple languages, with lyrics written   strategies have become. Producers
                But  that  contest  has  now  been   March box office. For Dhurandhar 2,  separately for each version. The track   monitor not only competing films but
            postponed.                        which had been bracing for a major   was released as an audio single featur-  also global conditions, festival dates
                The makers of Toxic recently an-  clash with Yash’s high-profile project,  ing Yash and Kiara Advani, hinting at   and audience sentiment before lock-
            nounced  that  the  film’s  release  has   the change removes what was widely   the film’s intense tone.  ing in their plans.
            been pushed to June 4, 2026, citing   seen as its biggest immediate challenger.  Promotions were  already in mo-  In this shifting landscape, a de-
            the uncertain geopolitical climate and   In the weeks leading up to the   tion. A major trailer launch event   lay for one film can quickly become
            concerns about reaching the widest   scheduled clash, Toxic had generat-  had been scheduled in Bengaluru on   an opportunity for another. For now,
            possible global audience.         ed  significant  excitement.  The  film’s   March 8, with media expected from   that opportunity appears to belong to
               “After years of dedicated labor, we   dark, stylized teasers hinted at a vio-  across the country. The song rollout   Dhurandhar 2. With Toxic stepping
            were  excited  to  share  our  film  with   lent and atmospheric narrative, while   and teaser campaigns were part of   out of the March race and promotion-
            you all on the 19th of March,” the   its casting brought together a striking   a carefully planned marketing push   al campaigns around it paused, the
            production houses said in a statement.  ensemble that included Kiara Advani,  meant to build momentum toward   Ranveer Singh-starrer finds itself in a
            “However, the current uncertainty, es-  Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Su-  the March release.        significantly less crowded arena.
            pecially  in  the  Middle  East,  has  cre-  taria and Rukmini Vasanth.  All of that has now been paused.  Whether that advantage trans-
            ated a situation that impacts our goal   The project also drew attention   The decision to halt promotions   lates into box office dominance will ul-
            to reach and connect with the widest   for its ambitious multilingual strategy.  and shift the release date underscores   timately depend on the film itself. But
            possible audience.”               Shot in Kannada and English, the film   how  sensitive  the  film  business  re-  in the unpredictable game of release
                The statement added that the de-  was planned for release across India   mains to global circumstances. With   calendars, the sequel has already won
            cision, though difficult, had been tak-  in dubbed versions including Hindi,  international markets playing an in-  one important battle—space.

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