Exclusive: Not Mumbai or Delhi, Pune leads Dhurandhar The Revenge with 36 shows in one day

The advance booking window for Dhurandhar The Revenge has finally opened for audiences across India, and the early numbers suggest the spy thriller is already moving at a thunderous pace. The sequel to the blockbuster film directed by Aditya Dhar appears poised to create another major box office moment even before its official release day.

The film’s paid preview bookings alone have produced staggering results. More than 5.38 lakh tickets have already been sold across India for preview shows. The estimated domestic gross from these previews stands at Rs 27.13 crore from over 9,530 shows. When blocked seats are included, the figure climbs further to approximately Rs 31.9 crore.

Worldwide advance bookings cross Rs 60 crore

The scale of interest extends far beyond the domestic market. Worldwide advance booking numbers have already crossed Rs 60 crore gross, powered significantly by overseas territories, especially North America.

With these trends continuing, the film is currently eyeing more than Rs 35 crore from India preview shows alone. If momentum holds, industry estimates suggest Dhurandhar The Revenge could target a historic Rs 200 crore worldwide opening day including previews on March 19.

The anticipation is hardly surprising. The first film became a massive phenomenon, reportedly earning Rs 1300 crore globally and establishing the franchise as one of the most powerful action spectacles in recent Indian cinema.

PAN India rollout changes the show distribution landscape

Unlike its predecessor, the sequel is aiming for a full scale PAN India presence. The film is not just focusing on traditional Hindi strongholds but expanding aggressively into southern and western territories as well.

Cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kochi and Chennai have entered the mix alongside northern markets such as Chandigarh and Delhi NCR. The eastern belt including Kolkata and the western circuit featuring Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Pune are also playing a significant role.

This analysis is based on current ticket availability on BookMyShow, which offers a useful snapshot of the early distribution pattern for Day 1.

The numbers indicate that multiplex chains are preparing for massive audience turnout by expanding show counts in several major metros.

Early morning and late night shows are becoming the norm

In recent years, some of the biggest Indian films have pushed exhibition timings to extremes in response to overwhelming demand. Early morning screenings starting as early as 5 am have become increasingly common.

For instance, Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster Jawan famously had 5 am shows in several cities. Even Rajinikanth’s film Coolie has reportedly followed a similar pattern with extremely early screenings.

Late night programming has also expanded significantly. Films like Animal and Jawan saw theatres running shows almost around the clock in some regions.

However, a few extreme timings alone do not necessarily reflect the true scale of exhibition. The real measure of demand lies in the total number of shows allocated throughout the day.

Pune unexpectedly leads the show count race

At first glance, one might assume cities like Delhi or Ahmedabad would dominate the show distribution charts. Mumbai too remains a natural contender because of its dense multiplex network.

Interestingly, the early data suggests a slightly different outcome.

Suburban Mumbai takes the second spot with an impressive daily count at the INOX Megaplex in Sky City Borivali. The venue begins its first screening at 6:15 am and continues until 11:59 pm. The schedule results in a massive 28 shows within a single day, effectively creating a screening roughly every thirty minutes.

Yet the real surprise emerges from Pune.

The INOX Megaplex at Phoenix Mall of the Millennium in Wakad West Pune leads the country with an extraordinary 36 shows in a single day. Like Mumbai, the first show starts at 6:15 am and the last one runs at 11:59 pm. The difference lies in the scheduling gaps.

Several screenings are separated by barely fifteen minutes, creating an unusually dense exhibition pattern that allows the theatre to push the total show count significantly higher.

The runtime question adds another layer

The aggressive scheduling becomes even more intriguing when considering the film’s potential runtime. Early indications suggest Dhurandhar The Revenge might run close to three hours and fifty five minutes.

If confirmed, that would make it one of the longest mainstream Indian films of the modern era, rivalled only by epic titles such as LOC Kargil.

Such a lengthy runtime makes the 36 show schedule in Pune particularly fascinating from an exhibition standpoint.

For now, the advance booking wave continues to build. If audience response intensifies over the next few days, multiplex chains may add even more shows across cities. The early signals, however, already point toward a remarkable opening chapter for Dhurandhar The Revenge.