The Bollywood spy action thriller "Dhurandhar" lost nearly Rs 90 crore, or approximately $10 million, in potential box office revenue. This significant financial setback happened because several Middle Eastern countries banned the film. Overseas distributor Pranab Kapadia confirmed the loss, stating the ban was a missed opportunity for the movie.[indiatoday+7]
Middle East Ban Impact
"Dhurandhar," which stars Ranveer Singh and was directed by Aditya Dhar, faced a ban in key Gulf markets. These markets include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan also did not release the film.The primary reason cited for the ban was the film's "anti-Pakistan messaging."[cinemaexpress+9]
Pranab Kapadia, the film's overseas distributor, expressed his disappointment. "I think this is at least a ten million dollar box office that we have lost," Kapadia told CNN-News18. He added that action films traditionally perform very well in the Middle East.Kapadia believes the film should have received a release in these lucrative regions.[indiatoday+15]
Major Market Missed
The Middle East is a vital market for Indian cinema, especially for action-oriented films.The absence of "Dhurandhar" from these territories had a direct financial consequence for the film's stakeholders. Kapadia acknowledged that while the loss was substantial, they respect the rules and regulations of every country.He also noted that "Dhurandhar" is not the first Indian film to face such a ban, citing "Fighter" as a previous example.[indiatoday+17]
Despite the ban, "Dhurandhar" achieved remarkable success worldwide. The film crossed the Rs 1,100 crore mark in global box office collections.This makes it one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 2025.It also emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film overseas in 2025, collecting over $27 million internationally.A significant portion of these overseas earnings came from the North American market.[indiatoday+12]
Holiday Season Softens Blow
The film's release during the latter half of December, which is a peak holiday period, helped to mitigate some of the losses.Many people traveling from the Middle East to Europe or the US were able to watch "Dhurandhar" in cinemas there.This allowed the film to find its audience even without a release in the Gulf countries.[hindustantimes+10]
"Dhurandhar" is a Hindi-language spy action thriller that premiered on December 5, 2025.It is the first installment of a two-part film series.The movie depicts an anti-terror covert operation where an Indian undercover agent infiltrates Pakistan's underworld.Its plot loosely incorporates real-life geopolitical tensions and events, including the 1999 IC-814 hijacking, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, and the 2008 Mumbai attacks.[en+8]
The film's strong performance elsewhere shows its global appeal, but the ban highlights ongoing challenges for Indian filmmakers in certain international markets. The makers are now looking forward to the sequel, hoping it will reach an even wider audience.[hungamaexpress]
