Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, featuring Ranveer Singh in a prominent role, has achieved remarkable success at the box office, surpassing the Rs 1000 crore
milestone in worldwide earnings. Although it has performed admirably across various markets, the film did not debut in several Middle Eastern nations. Recent reports indicate that due to its absence in the Gulf region, the film has incurred a loss of approximately Rs 90 crore as a result of the ban. According to a report from India Today, referencing CNN-News18, Pranab Kapadia, the overseas distributor for Dhurandhar, stated that the prohibition in Middle East due to the film's anti-Pakistan themes represented a significant missed opportunity for the Ranveer Singh project. "I believe we have lost at least ten million dollars in box office revenue, as action films typically perform exceptionally well in the Middle East. Therefore, we feel it should have been released. However, we must also respect the perspectives and regulations of each region and country, as they have their justifications," Kapadia remarked. Kapadia also mentioned that numerous films in the past have not been released in Gulf nations, including Fighter. Nevertheless, he pointed out that if not in the Gulf, Dhurandhar has successfully reached audiences in other regions. The film has continued to draw viewers globally, exceeding Rs 1,100 crore. However, industry insiders have suggested that the figures could have been even greater had it been released in the Gulf. Kapadia highlighted that the holiday season in December somewhat mitigated the impact of the ban. Many fans based in the Gulf, who typically watch Bollywood films locally, ended up viewing the movie while traveling abroad during the festive period. “I personally know individuals who traveled overseas in December, which is peak holiday time,” he shared with the publication, adding that many flew from the Gulf to Europe or the US and made it a point to dedicate an evening to watch Dhurandhar. He explained that the film was released during a time when the latter part of December was predominantly a holiday season, allowing audiences traveling abroad to plan a trip to the theater and enjoy the cinematic experience.
