Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ becomes biggest Hindi film ever, tops box office with Rs 831 crore nett
Mumbai (PTI): Filmmaker Aditya Dhar's "Dhurandhar" has become the highest-earning Hindi film ever with a nett India collection of over Rs 831 crore, the makers said on Wednesday.
With its Day 33 earnings on Tuesday standing at Rs 5.70 crore nett, the Ranveer Singh-starrer's total India nett collection climbed to Rs 831.40 crore, placing it at the No. 1 spot among all Hindi releases to date.
"History has been rewritten. With Tuesday’s collections, 'Dhurandhar' has officially risen to become the highest-earning Hindi film of all time, a towering achievement that has redefined Indian box office success," the makers said in a statement.
The top position was earlier occupied by the Hindi version of Allu Arjun's 2023 blockbuster "Pushpa 2: The Rule". The Telugu movie had earned Rs 830 crore in Hindi.
The other highest-earning Hindi titles are Shah Rukh Khan's "Jawan" and horror comedy "Stree 2", which had earned Rs 643 crore and 627 crore respectively.
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The India box office break-up shows a robust run across weeks, with Rs 218 crore in its opening week, followed by Rs 261.50 crore in week two, Rs 189.30 crore in week three and Rs 115.70 crore in week four. The film added Rs 35.80 crore over its fifth weekend before continuing its steady run during the weekdays.
"Dhurandhar" is a high-octane spy thriller, which is directed and written by Dhar. Featuring Singh in the lead role, the film follows covert intelligence operations set against a backdrop of geopolitical and terror events like Kandahar plane hijack, 2001 Parliament Attack and 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
The film, which has led to polarising reactions from many critics and people in India, is mostly set in Lyari town of Karachi, an area known for its history of gang wars and violent turf battles.
Produced by Dhar and Lokesh Dhar under B62 Studios in association with Jyoti Deshpande’s Jio Studios, the film also stars Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, R Madhavan and Rakesh Bedi.
Meanwhile, Bollywood studio Yash Raj Films congratulated the team of "Dhurandhar" on its achievement.
“DHURANDHAR is not a film... it's a milestone moment in Indian cinema that will be remembered forever. Congratulations to Aditya Dhar and Jio Studios for becoming the highest grossing Indian film of all time (in a single language),” the production banner said in a note posted on its official social media pages.
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Lost a good friend; void cannot be filled: Fadnavis mourns Ajit Pawar’s passing
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday described Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s tragic death in a plane crash as unbelievable, and said he had lost a good friend.
Fadnavis said “today” (January 28) will be a government holiday and there will be a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect to Pawar.
Ajit Pawar’s death has left a void that will never be filled, he said. “After working closely together, it is unbelievable that he is no more,” Fadnavis said.
Talking to reporters, Fadnavis described Pawar as a people’s leader who knew the state well and had a deep understanding of the issues in Maharashtra. He said it takes several years to build and establish such leadership.
Fadnavis said he had apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the tragedy. The CM said he had also spoken with Ajit Pawar’s cousin Supriya Sule and his son Parth Pawar.
“Both (Deputy CM) Eknath Shinde and I are leaving for Baramati now. Once their entire family gathers in Baramati, we will share further details,” he said.
The entire state stands by Pawar’s family and his party NCP in this hour of grief, he added.
Ajit Pawar, 66, and four other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Wednesday morning, officials said. The incident occurred when the plane carrying Pawar and others landed near Baramati, they said.
Several state BJP leaders, including Ashish Shelar, Ravindra Chavan and Chandrashekhar Bawankule, expressed deep grief over Pawar’s passing.
“This heart-wrenching incident has left the mind numb. Maharashtra has lost an experienced, dutiful and resolute leader,” state minister Shelar said.
Pawar left a distinct imprint on the state’s politics through his strong grip over administration, decisiveness and relentless drive for Maharashtra’s all-round progress. “Firmness, discipline, punctuality and tireless dedication were defining aspects of his personality,” he said.
BJP state president Ravindra Chavan said Maharashtra’s politics was unimaginable without Pawar. He said Pawar was known as a dynamic leader with a powerful command over administration and an unwavering focus on the state’s comprehensive development.
He said Pawar held the record for serving the longest tenure as deputy CM in the state’s history and left an indelible mark while handling key portfolios such as irrigation, energy and finance. “With his passing, Maharashtra has lost a firm, disciplined, punctual and indefatigable leader. This void can never be filled,” Chavan said.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule described Pawar as a senior friend and guide. “Even now, it is difficult to accept that this tragedy has really happened,” he said. Pawar would be remembered as a true people’s leader who gave clear direction and unstoppable momentum to Maharashtra’s all-round development, Bawankule said.
Recalling Pawar’s immense administrative experience, Bawankule said he had personally sought the NCP leader’s advice on several occasions.
“The loss of Ajitdada is not merely the departure of one leader; it is a profound loss for Maharashtra itself. The nation has lost a visionary statesman, and I have lost a dear elder friend and guide,” Bawankule said, adding that the reality of Pawar no longer being among them felt impossible to accept.
VIDEO | Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis expresses grief over the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in an aircraft crash. He says, “This morning, a very tragic incident occurred. In extremely unforeseen circumstances, the news of the unfortunate demise of our state’s deputy chief… pic.twitter.com/sKIKJ5FvRW
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 28, 2026
