Imtiaz Ali reveals studios initially rejected blockbuster spy franchise Dhurandhar

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali recently revealed that Aditya Dhar's spy thriller franchise Dhurandhar faced early rejection from movie studios who considered it an impractical project with a low chance of success. Speaking at HTLS 2026, Imtiaz noted that while people currently point to Dhurandhar as proof of success despite its long runtime, the industry initially offered very little support. The first part of Dhurandhar runs for 3 hours and 34 minutes, while the sequel, Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge, is even longer at 3 hours and 49 minutes. Despite doubts, the franchise broke industry rules and went on to smash box office records, prompting a phase of deep introspection among filmmakers.

Box Office Numbers

The two Dhurandhar films were made on a combined budget of Rs 255 crore and grossed more than 10 times that amount globally. The first part earned over Rs 1350 crore worldwide, including over Rs 895 crore in India. The sequel performed even better, pulling in over Rs 1852 crore globally and over Rs 1108 crore domestically. Together, the duology crossed Rs 3200 crore to become the highest-grossing Indian franchise ever. Additionally, pre-release business from digital, satellite, and music rights brought in nearly Rs 400 crore as bonus revenue.

Cast and Production

Produced by Jio Studios, led by Jyoti Desphande, the franchise follows an Indian spy played by Ranveer Singh who infiltrates a terror network in Pakistan to avenge attacks on Indian soil. The star-studded cast also features Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, R Madhavan, and Rakesh Bedi. In contrast to this high-octane action style, Imtiaz Ali also directed the period romance Main Vaapas Aaunga, starring Naseeruddin Shah as a 95-year-old man wanting to return to Pakistan 75 years after Partition.

Context

Major film studios often rely on safe formulas and traditional runtimes, making them hesitant to back exceptionally long or unconventional projects before they prove themselves. The massive financial success of action-heavy spy thrillers like Dhurandhar shows how audience tastes can shift traditional industry expectations regarding film length and genre limits.