Dhurandhar will manage to make it to the cinemas tomorrow (5th December) despite the umpteen hiccups leading to an almost unprecedented delay in deliveries. The Overseas delivery, which is usually effected a week in advance, was made only yesterday (3rd December) — just two days prior to the release. The KDMs to cinemas all over India will be sent only now — hours before the release tomorrow!
Tongues in the trade began to wag when trade-wallahs lost no time in hazarding guesses for the delayed deliveries. The general film media may not have got wind of the last-minute tension had it not been for the cancellation of the press screening in Bombay today (4th). The press show was first fixed for 4 p.m., then changed to 7 p.m., before finally being cancelled altogether. The media has been invited for a screening at PVR Juhu tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.
Although it may appear that the problems were multiple, the fact is that all the problems related to only editing. With the length of the film being undue, director Aditya Dhar has been on the editing table day and night for the last few days.
For those who came in late, Dhar has content of more than six hours and hence the film will be released in two parts. The release date — in March 2026 — of the second part will be announced at the end of the first part itself. “But that does not mean that the film’s first part is incomplete,” clarifies an insider, adding, “It is a complete first part, with a proper climax and ending, but it will surely leave the audience asking for more.” The insider describes the film as “extremely engaging”.
Although the advance booking in India may not have given the trade reason to rejoice, the initial (advance) response abroad is extraordinary. An exhibitor of Australia has his first show (at 10 a.m.) tomorrow, full in advance! The scene in the US, UK, etc. is quite similar.
So although there’s a lot of anxiety among exhibitors across India because of the delayed deliveries, they can now breathe easy for two reasons. Firstly, because Deepak Sharma, CEO, Production & Distribution, Jio Studios, assures that the film will open in every cinema tomorrow morning. And secondly, because there’s no other tension related to the content. As Sharma concludes, “Yes, there were many nail-biting moments before Aditya Dhar and Lokesh Dhar delivered us the final film, but the Dhar brothers were doing all that they were doing for the betterment of the film. And that’s what finally matters. You can’t get angry with Aditya and Lokesh Dhar because they both are so endearing!”
Incidentally, the pre-interval part of Dhurandhar was delivered to Jio this afternoon. It is Jio which is effecting deliveries to exhibitors across the world. The second portion (post-interval) may have been delivered for Indian cinemas a few minutes back.
