As new releases arrive in theatres and the industry looks ahead to its next big success, one achievement remains impossible to overlook: what Ranveer Singh has accomplished with the Dhurandhar franchise has set a new benchmark for Indian cinema. Made against significant commercial limitations, the two-part franchise has rewritten box-office history while placing Ranveer at the centre of a defining cinematic moment. From opening new box-office milestones to creating the unforgettable character of Hamza Ali Mazari, here are seven reasons why Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar run stands apart.
1. Ranveer Singh Opened the Rs 1,000 Crore Hindi Net Club
Every era of cinema has milestones that redefine what the industry considers possible. With Dhurandhar: The Revenge, Ranveer Singh achieved the landmark of becoming the first actor to open the Rs 1,000 crore Hindi net club with an Indian film. This is a distinction that will forever be associated with his name. Others may eventually join the club, but Ranveer will always be remembered as the one who opened its doors.
2. No Gulf Release, Yet the Franchise Made Box-Office History
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Dhurandhar phenomenon is the scale of its success despite the absence of a major overseas market. Neither instalment received a theatrical release in the Gulf region, restricting its access to audiences in a significant international territory. The franchise still achieved extraordinary box-office milestones, making Ranveer’s historic run even more significant.
3. An A Certificate Did Not Stop Ranveer from Delivering a Blockbuster
Both films faced the challenge of an adults-only certification, which restricted their theatrical audience to viewers aged 18 and above. In a market where wider audience accessibility can play an important role in a film’s commercial reach, this was a significant consideration. Yet Dhurandhar went on to complete a remarkable theatrical run.
4. Ranveer Singh Gave Indian Cinema its most Iconic Character as Hamza Ali Mazari
Beyond the box-office records, Ranveer’s transformation into Hamza Ali Mazari has become one of the defining elements of the franchise. His measured walk, controlled body language, altered voice and commanding screen presence distinguish Hamza from Jaskirat Singh Rangi, the man behind the undercover identity. Hamza has become a memorable cinematic identity, one audiences will continue to associate with this defining phase of Ranveer’s career.
5. A Career-Defining Performance That Goes Beyond Physical Transformation
Ranveer’s work in the franchise is not limited to the physical transformation required to inhabit Hamza. Across the two films, he portrays different stages of the same character’s journey, moving between vulnerability, restraint, aggression and emotional devastation. The performance demands that he communicate as much through silence and stillness as through action.His performance gives the franchise an emotional centre, making his achievement as an actor as important to its legacy as the records it has established.
6. A Reported Rs 250–300 Crore Combined Landing Cost, Yet a Historic Outcome
The franchise’s commercial performance becomes even more striking when viewed against its reported cost. With an estimated combined landing cost of Rs 250–300 crore for the two films, Dhurandhar achieved a scale of success that far exceeded conventional expectations. Ranveer’s success with Dhurandhar has reinforced the idea that scale at the box office is not determined by spending alone, but also by audience engagement, a compelling cinematic experience and the impact of a performance.
7. Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar: A Landmark Bigger Than Sholay, Mother India and Mughal-e-Azam
Indian cinema has long been shaped by landmark films such as Sholay, Mother India and Mughal-e-Azam, each of which occupies a special place in the industry’s history. Dhurandhar represents a different kind of milestone for a new era, defined by its extraordinary commercial performance, the scale of its audience response and its ability to challenge established box-office ceilings. For Ranveer Singh, the franchise represents a turning point: he has not merely delivered a successful film series but helped establish a new standard against which future Hindi releases will be measured.
As new films enter the box office and attempt to create records of their own, Dhurandhar will remain a crucial reference point. Ranveer Singh’s achievement lies not simply in the numbers he has delivered, but in the circumstances in which he delivered them. That is what makes his run historic, and that is why he has set a benchmark for Indian cinema.
