Dhurandhar 2 gets 21 CBFC cuts: Violent scenes trimmed, demonetisation scene edited; screening time cut by 6 mins

Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge is beginning with its theatrical run with paid previews today, arriving amid massive expectations following the record-breaking success of its first instalment.

Just hours before audiences stepped into theatres, the film’s certification report from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) surfaced online, revealing a detailed list of edits and modifications made before the movie’s release.

The document shows that several violent visuals were trimmed, certain words were replaced, and multiple technical changes were introduced, resulting in a slightly modified version for Indian theatres.

The action drama, directed by Aditya Dhar, received an A certificate from the CBFC a day before its March 18 premiere. According to the certification report, visuals totalling around one minute and 34 seconds were removed from the final cut.

CBFC suggests 21 modifications

The board issued 21 suggestions that the filmmakers eventually implemented before securing certification. Among the changes were the addition of disclaimers warning viewers about “disturbing content” and advising audience discretion.

The certification document also directed the makers to mute several abusive words and reduce the intensity of violent scenes. Some of the visuals flagged by the board included sequences showing beheading, kicking, and characters hitting people with hammers and cement blocks.

The CBFC further instructed the makers to replace certain words in the film, although the exact terms were not specified in the certificate.

Technical changes and clarifications

Apart from content edits, the board recommended several technical adjustments. The filmmakers were asked to correct the dates of demonetisation that appeared in the film’s subtitles.

Director Aditya Dhar and his team also submitted an official permission letter allowing the use of references to the Prime Minister, as well as the inclusion of news footage in the film.

In addition, the Dhurandhar team was instructed to add subtitles to several visual sequences and songs. The length of the end credits was also shortened by one minute as part of the final certification process.

Longer runtime, strong advance bookings

Following these changes, the final runtime of Dhurandhar: The Revenge stands at three hours and 49 minutes, making it 14 minutes longer than the first part.

The film is already seeing strong commercial momentum ahead of its full release. Early reports suggest it is nearing Rs 150 crore in global pre-sales for premiere shows and opening day, with advance bookings expected to rise further through the weekend.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge is the sequel to Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster Dhurandhar, which recorded a global run of Rs 1,000 crore. The second installment arrives in theatres on March 19 and is expected to benefit from the Eid holiday weekend.

The film will release in five languages and features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt and Sara Arjun. In the sequel, Ranveer’s character Jaskirat Singh Rangi undergoes a dramatic transformation into Hamza Ali Mazari.