History of Dhurandhar in Timeline

Dhurandhar is an upcoming 2025 Indian Hindi-language spy action thriller film directed by Aditya Dhar. Produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, it stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, and others. The film, the first in a duology, revolves around an undercover Indian intelligence agent's dangerous mission in Karachi to dismantle a terror network threatening India. The agent infiltrates criminal and political structures in Pakistan in this high-stakes counter-terrorism operation.

1960: Original Release of "Na To Karvan Ki Talash Hai" in 1960

The second single, "Ishq Jalakar (Karvaan)", released in November 2025, is a recreated version of the Hindi Qawwali "Na To Karvan Ki Talash Hai" from Barsaat Ki Raat (1960).

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1995: Original Release of "Na Dil De Pardesi Nu" in 1995

The title track of Dhurandhar, released in October 2025, is a remake of the 1995 Punjabi-language song "Na Dil De Pardesi Nu".

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December 1999: Negotiations with Terrorists in December 1999

On December 30, 1999, Minister of External Affairs Devavrat Kapoor and Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) Ajay Sanyal negotiated with terrorist Zahoor Mistry to release three terrorists and pay a US$10 million ransom in exchange for the lives of airline passengers held captive in Kandahar.

1999: Inspiration from the 1999 IC-814 hijacking

The film's storyline draws loose inspiration from the 1999 IC-814 hijacking.

2001: Authorization of Operation Dhurandhar after the 2001 Indian Parliament Attack

Following the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, Minister Kapoor authorized Director Sanyal's covert "Operation Dhurandhar", despite initial rejection of the proposal to infiltrate terrorist networks in Pakistan.

2001: Inclusion of 2001 Indian Parliament attack

The film's narrative is woven around real-life events, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.

2001: Inspiration from the 2001 Indian Parliament attack

The film's storyline draws loose inspiration from the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.

2008: Scene set in 2008 anticipates future action

In a scene set in 2008, IB director Ajay Sanyal expresses frustration with the Indian government's responses to Pakistani terrorist attacks, anticipating a future politician who will take action, referencing the future Narendra Modi government.

2008: Criticism of Linking Lyari with 2008 Mumbai Attacks

Journalists and academics in Pakistan criticized the film's linking of Lyari with the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai as an attempt to "fold a Pakistani urban conflict into India's contemporary nationalist imagination".

2008: Inclusion of 2008 Mumbai attacks

The film's narrative is woven around real-life events, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks. It shows real footage of the Mumbai attack and audio recordings of conversations between terrorists and their handlers.

2008: Inspiration from the 2008 Mumbai attacks

The film's storyline draws loose inspiration from the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

2019: Collaboration on Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019)

Shashwat Sachdev previously collaborated with Aditya Dhar on Uri: The Surgical Strike in 2019 before composing the soundtrack for Dhurandhar.

2019: Ban on Indian films in Pakistan

Since 2019, there has been an official ban on Indian films in Pakistan; despite this, Dhurandhar was reportedly downloaded two million times through piracy sites in the country.

2019: Modi's 2019 campaign speeches referenced film slogan

The film references a slogan from director Dhar's previous film Uri: The Surgical Strike which was later used in Modi's 2019 campaign speeches.

2019: Indian films ban in Pakistan since 2019

The film was reportedly downloaded 2 million times through piracy sites within a week in Pakistan, becoming the most pirated film in the country where Indian films are banned since 2019.

March 2022: Assassination of Zahoor Mistry

Journalist Aditya Raj Kaul stated a March 2022 assassination of one of the IC-814 hijackers, Zahoor Mistry, was carried out by a "local Karachi gang".

2023: Comparison with 2023 Films

Industry reports stated Dhurandhar grossed approximately ₹880 crore worldwide within 19 days of release. With only Pathaan and Jawan (both 2023) ahead at the time, analysts projected the film was on course to surpass the ₹1,000 crore worldwide mark.

July 2024: Principal photography begins

In July 2024, principal photography for Dhurandhar commenced, taking place across multiple locations in India and abroad.

July 2024: Official Film Announcement in July 2024

In July 2024, the film was officially announced by Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar on their social media accounts, marking the start of its public presence.

December 2024: Title Reveal in December 2024

In December 2024, the official title of the film was revealed, giving the audience a first glimpse of the project's identity.

2024: Comparison with Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024)

Trade reports stated Dhurandhar grossed approximately ₹880 crore worldwide within 19 days of release. With only Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024) ahead at the time, analysts projected the film was on course to surpass the ₹1,000 crore worldwide mark.

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July 2025: First-look poster and teaser release

On July 6, 2025, coinciding with Ranveer Singh's 40th birthday, a first-look poster and a teaser for Dhurandhar were released, featuring vocals by Jasmine Sandlas and Hanumankind.

October 2025: Principal photography ends

In October 2025, principal photography for Dhurandhar concluded after filming across multiple locations in India and abroad.

October 2025: Release of Title Track on October 15, 2025

On October 15, 2025, the title track for Dhurandhar was released, featuring vocals by Hanumankind and Jasmine Sandlas. It is a remake of the 1995 Punjabi song "Na Dil De Pardesi Nu".

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October 2025: End of principal photography in October 2025

Principal photography took place from July 2024 to October 2025 across India and Thailand.

November 2025: Trailer Release Postponement and Launch

In November 2025, the trailer release was originally scheduled for November 12 but was postponed due to the 2025 Delhi car explosion. It was later released on November 18, 2025, at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai.

November 2025: Release of Second Single, "Ishq Jalakar (Karvaan)" on November 25, 2025

On November 25, 2025, the second single, "Ishq Jalakar (Karvaan)", was released ahead of schedule due to high public demand. This song is a recreated version of the Hindi Qawwali "Na To Karvan Ki Talash Hai" from Barsaat Ki Raat (1960).

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December 2025: Release of Full Album and Extended Album in December 2025

On December 1, 2025, the full album for Dhurandhar was released. Subsequently, on December 10, 2025, an extended album with five additional songs was released.

December 2025: Dhurandhar Surpasses ₹1,000 Crore Worldwide in December 2025

On December 26, 2025, Dhurandhar surpassed the ₹1,000 crore worldwide box-office mark, reaching an estimated ₹1,003 crore in global grosses, including ₹668.8 crore in India nett collections and ₹206.91 crore in overseas earnings.

December 2025: Distributors Replace Film's DCP with Altered Version on December 31, 2025

On December 31, 2025, the distributors of Dhurandhar replaced the film's Digital Cinema Package (DCP) across India with an altered version. This version included muting words like 'Baloch' and 'intelligence' after they were deemed offensive to certain communities, following a legal notice from members of the Baloch community.

December 2025: Dhurandhar Film Release and Certification in December 2025

On December 5, 2025, Dhurandhar was released after receiving an A (adults only) certificate from the CBFC for strong violence. The film crossed over USD 2 million in its first weekend in North America and performed well in various countries, ultimately grossing over ₹200 crore in overseas markets. It was de facto banned in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

December 2025: Theatrical Release and Reception

On December 5, 2025, Dhurandhar was released theatrically and received mixed reviews, praising cast performances, direction, and action sequences, while criticisms were directed towards its runtime. It also faced controversy for blending fiction with real events but achieved box-office success, grossing over ₹1,000 crore worldwide within three weeks.

December 2025: Audio Launch on December 1, 2025

The audio launch for Dhurandhar took place on December 1, 2025.

2025: Dhurandhar Box Office Gross in 2025

In 2025, Dhurandhar grossed ₹1,056.62 crore in India and ₹293.03 crore in other territories, for a worldwide total of ₹1,350.83 crore. It is the highest grossing Indian film of 2025, the second-highest-grossing Hindi film of all time, and the highest-grossing A-certified Indian film of all time.

2025: Dhurandhar Film Release

In 2025, Dhurandhar, an Indian Hindi-language spy action thriller film directed by Aditya Dhar, was released. The film, produced under Jio Studios and B62 Studios, features an ensemble cast and centers on a covert counter-terrorism operation.

January 2026: Streaming Release on Netflix in January 2026

From January 30, 2026, Dhurandhar began streaming on Netflix in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, with a 9-minute reduction from the theatrical version. It trended at number one in 22 nations and became the first Indian film to cross 7 million views on Netflix within its first weekend. The film was reportedly downloaded 2 million times through piracy sites within a week in Pakistan where Indian films are banned.

January 2026: FIR Filed Against Ranveer Singh in January 2026

In January 2026, an FIR was filed against Ranveer Singh for allegedly hurting religious sentiments after he mimicked a sacred deva ritual while promoting the film.

January 2026: Film's Domestic Success in January 2026

On January 7, 2026, Dhurandhar emerged as the highest-grossing film in Hindi domestic net collections and the most successful Bollywood film after the COVID-pandemic.

March 2026: Re-release of Dhurandhar in March 2026

Dhurandhar was re-released in India on March 12, 2026, and overseas on March 13, 2026, in over 1,000 screens worldwide, ahead of the sequel's release.

March 2026: Dhurandhar: The Revenge released worldwide

Dhurandhar: The Revenge was released worldwide on 19 March 2026, coinciding with Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, and Eid al-Fitr. It was also released in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada languages.