Dhurandhar: The Revenge is not just rewriting records at the national and global box office, but its performance in Karnataka has now emerged as one of the most significant success stories of its run. According to trade website Sacnilk, the film has officially crossed Rs 100 crore in the state, becoming the first Hindi film to achieve this milestone and marking a major shift in a market traditionally dominated by Kannada cinema.
Karnataka has historically been a stronghold for local films, with Kannada blockbusters like Kantara, KGF: Chapter 1 and KGF: Chapter 2 dominating the all-time box office charts. Among non-Kannada films, only large-scale Telugu spectacles such as Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, RRR, Pushpa 2: The Rule and Kalki 2898 AD have managed to break through at an extraordinary level. Hindi films, in contrast, have largely remained confined to multiplex-driven business in Bengaluru, with limited reach across the rest of the state.
This is what makes Dhurandhar: The Revenge’s Rs 100 crore milestone particularly significant. The film has not only performed strongly in urban centres but has also sustained momentum across multiple circuits in Karnataka, indicating acceptance beyond its traditional audience base. Its steady run through the first week and second weekend reflects strong word of mouth, coupled with the growing strength of the franchise.
The shift did not happen overnight. The first Dhurandhar film itself had emerged as a strong performer in Karnataka, collecting numbers comparable to several Telugu releases—a rare feat for a Hindi film. With the sequel, the franchise has taken that momentum a step further, converting strong openings into sustained box office success across the state.
To understand the scale of this achievement, one only needs to look at Karnataka’s all-time highest-grossing films. The list is overwhelmingly dominated by Kannada cinema, with Kantara and the KGF franchise occupying top positions. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion remains one of the very few non-Kannada films to enter this elite bracket, underlining how difficult it is for films from other industries to reach the top tier in the state.
Baahubali 2 had earlier set the benchmark for non-Kannada films in Karnataka when it released in 2017, expanding the market and proving that large-scale pan-India spectacles could draw audiences across linguistic barriers. Years later, Pushpa 2: The Rule continued that trend, reinforcing the dominance of Telugu cinema in the state’s non-Kannada segment.
In comparison, Hindi films rarely reached those levels historically. Even major Bollywood blockbusters typically performed well only in Bengaluru and parts of Mysuru, while mass circuits across Karnataka remained dominated by Telugu and Tamil releases. However, the post-pandemic era has seen a gradual shift, with large-scale Hindi films like Pathaan and Jawan beginning to find wider acceptance in South Indian markets.
Dhurandhar: The Revenge now appears to have taken that shift to the next level. It also signals to filmmakers that there is a growing appetite for large-scale, content-driven Hindi films among audiences in South India. More importantly, this success represents a reversal of a long-standing trend.
For years, Telugu and Tamil films have expanded successfully into North Indian markets, achieving pan-India status. The reverse, however, has been relatively rare. With Dhurandhar: The Revenge, that dynamic appears to be changing, as Hindi cinema begins to establish a stronger foothold in southern markets.
– Ends
Tune In
MUST WATCH:
