Bollywood was an unexpected feature at the Winter Olympics 2026 in Milan-Cortina as Russian-Georgian figure skater Anastasiia Gubanova performed her routine to a mashup of Hindi songs, ending with the viral title track of Dhurandhar.
The 23-year-old opened with San Sananana Sana from the 2001 film Ashoka before moving into Hanumankind's high-energy anthem. Her performance blended athletic precision with cinematic flair, featuring sharp spins, dramatic pauses, and even a Punjabi folk step.
Matching the theme, the figure skater took to the ice in a red-and-gold costume and a bright red bindi—a look that quickly caught the attention of Indian fans online.
The routine was not new to Gubanova as she had previously performed the same Bollywood mashup, bindi included, at an event in Beijing in September 2025. But presenting it on the Olympic stage gave the crossover a much bigger spotlight.
Gubanova is the 2023 European Champion, a two-time European silver medallist, and a regular on the ISU Grand Prix podium. This time, it was her Bollywood-inspired routine, rather than her medals, that stole the spotlight.
The moment has also added to the buzz around Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which is set to release on March 19, 2026. Set mainly in Pakistan's Lyari, the film follows covert intelligence missions connected to real events, such as the Kandahar hijacking, the 2001 Parliament attack, and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Ranveer Singh stars as undercover agent Hamza Ali Mazari. The cast also includes R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, and Arjun Rampal, reportedly inspired by terrorist Ilyas Kashmiri. Sara Arjun makes her Bollywood debut, whereas Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera, Danish Pandor, and Saumya Tandon play key roles.
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