'India-Pakistan thing is going to go': R Madhavan spills the beans on 'Dhurandhar 2' ahead of box office clash with 'Toxic'

Actor R Madhavan believes that the era of traditional India–Pakistan conflict cinema is drawing to a close. Speaking about the massive anticipation for Dhurandhar 2, the actor noted that modern audiences, particularly the younger generation, are looking for a fresh perspective in the spy-action genre.

In a recent interview with Sonia Shenoy on her YouTube channel, Madhavan shared his thoughts on how storytelling in Indian cinema is evolving. He suggested that the classic "border war" template has been exhausted.

“Traditionally, we’ve been making movies around the India–Pakistan war or our freedom struggle. That has been our action space and our core go-to in terms of storytelling. But the younger generation doesn’t even want that anymore. They’re like samajh gaya main, kitni baar bologe? (I’ve understood it, how many times will you say it?) And I think after Dhurandhar, that whole India–Pakistan thing is going to go. That’s the full stop now.”

Despite being banned in the UAE and Pakistan, the first installment of Dhurandhar became a global juggernaut, grossing over Rs 1,300 crore worldwide. Madhavan highlighted the "power of good content" by revealing that fans in the Middle East actually traveled to India just to see the film in a theater.

“People from Dubai actually flew down, for one day, to watch the film and then flew back,” Madhavan revealed. He expects a similar trend for Dhurandhar 2, which is scheduled for release on March 19, 2026.

“Now they’re planning their business meetings around March 19 when Dhurandhar 2 is releasing... they want to experience watching a film like Dhurandhar in a theatre full of people. That gives you a community experience. It’s like performing dandiya in front of the TV. Dandiya is something you go out and play on the ground, with people around you.”

The ban in the Gulf has not been without its costs. Overseas distributor Pranab Kapadia previously told CNN-News18 that the region represents a lost box office opportunity of at least $10 million.

However, with a domestic net collection of Rs 890 crore for the first film, the sequel is poised for another record-breaking run. Dhurandhar 2 is set for a high-stakes box office clash against Yash’s Toxic over the Eid weekend.