Box Office: Dhurandhar Day 15 BEATS Avatar Fire and Ash on Opening Day

James Cameron’s Avatar Fire and Ash arrived in Indian cinemas with high expectations and a solid Rs 20.05 crore opening on Day 1. On paper, that number looked respectable for a Hollywood release arriving late in the year.

The problem was not the figure itself. The problem was who it was competing with. A Hindi film that was already 15 days old managed to pull ahead and completely shift the narrative.

A surprising Day 1 comparison that changed the conversation

Avatar Fire and Ash was widely expected to cross Rs 30 crore on its opening day in India. Trade estimates leaned heavily in that direction. Instead, the film settled lower, opening the door for comparisons that no one anticipated.

On the same day, Dhurandhar added Rs 22.5 crore to its total. That meant a film in its third week earned more in a single day than a freshly released global franchise film. The contrast was impossible to ignore and quickly became the talking point across trade circles.

This was not a case of Avatar collapsing. It was a case of Dhurandhar refusing to cool off. Even with screens divided and attention split, the Aditya Dhar directed film continued to dominate audience interest.

Dhurandhar’s numbers show sustained audience trust

Dhurandhar’s box office journey has been driven by consistency rather than shock value. The film opened at Rs 28 crore and steadily climbed over its first weekend, closing Sunday at Rs 43 crore. Instead of falling sharply on weekdays, it held firm at Rs 27 crore for three straight days.

Week 1 ended with a strong Rs 207.25 crore. Many films would have peaked there. Dhurandhar did not. Week 2 saw renewed momentum with Rs 32.5 crore on the second Friday and a massive Rs 58 crore on the second Sunday.

By the end of its second week, the film had collected Rs 253.25 crore, taking the India net total to Rs 483.15 crore in two weeks. Add the Rs 22.5 crore earned on Day 15 and the film entered Week 3 with remarkable control over the box office.

Worldwide, the film stood at Rs 710.5 crore by Day 14. Overseas markets contributed Rs 158 crore, while India gross touched Rs 552.5 crore. These are not flash numbers. They reflect sustained turnout.

Avatar’s global strength contrasts with its Indian run

Internationally, Avatar Fire and Ash had a very different story. The film earned 43.1 million dollars, around Rs 386 crore, within its first two days outside India. It opened across 18 countries on Wednesday December 17 and expanded to 25 more on Thursday December 18.

Several major territories recorded the biggest opening day of 2025 so far. These included Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Iceland, New Zealand, Indonesia excluding local films, and Thailand excluding local films. Multiple smaller European markets also reported top ranked openings.

China numbers were not included in the 43.1 million dollar figure. Early Friday estimates from the market pointed to a 17.1 million dollar opening day, roughly Rs 153 crore. That would place the film as the third biggest Hollywood opening day in China since 2022, behind only Zootopia 2 and Fast X.

Globally, Avatar Fire and Ash delivered what was expected. India simply moved to a different rhythm.

What this clash reveals about Indian audience behaviour

The face off between Dhurandhar and Avatar Fire and Ash was not about scale or spectacle. It was about commitment. Indian audiences had already invested in one story and chose to stay with it.

Dhurandhar entered Week 3 still pulling crowds, despite being an espionage thriller without novelty left to sell. The film leaned on word of mouth, repeat viewers, and steady weekend jumps. That combination proved stronger than opening day curiosity.

Avatar Fire and Ash did not fail in India. It underperformed relative to expectations. That distinction matters. The response suggests audiences are now slower to abandon a film they trust, even when something bigger arrives.

For Dhurandhar, the message is clear. The film has crossed Rs 480 crore and is still adding to its tally. For the industry, the takeaway is bigger. Longevity now beats launch day noise.