Middle East Ban May Turn Into a Big Advantage for Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2 After Toxic Postponement

The much-anticipated box office clash between Dhurandhar 2 and Yash’s Toxic was expected to be one of the biggest cinematic battles of 2026. However, the situation changed dramatically on March 4 when Yash unexpectedly announced that Toxic would be postponed. This decision has effectively cleared the path for Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2, giving the film a largely uncontested release window.

Interestingly, the same issue that reportedly pushed Toxic to delay its release — tensions in the Middle East — may actually benefit Dhurandhar 2 rather than harm it. While the first film faced restrictions in several Middle Eastern countries due to its alleged anti-Pakistan narrative, the sequel appears to have been planned with that possibility already in mind.

Lessons From the First Film

The original Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, was banned in Pakistan and several Middle Eastern territories. Despite this setback, the film still performed strongly overseas. According to trade estimates, it earned around ₹299 crore from international markets. Industry observers believe the total could have crossed ₹400 crore if the Gulf markets had been open.

Even with limited overseas reach, the film emerged as one of the biggest Hindi blockbusters, collecting over ₹1300 crore worldwide. What made the achievement more notable was that the first installment was released only in Hindi. Still, it managed to generate impressive numbers from South Indian regions as well, including strong collections from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Telugu states.

A New Strategy for the Sequel

Learning from the previous experience, the makers have changed their strategy for Dhurandhar 2. Instead of depending heavily on Middle Eastern markets, the team has focused more on strengthening its reach within India. This time, the film will release not only in Hindi but also in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam.

The idea behind this move is to tap deeper into the South Indian market, which already showed encouraging response to the first part despite the language barrier. Expanding the film into multiple languages could significantly increase its domestic box office potential.

Toxic’s Delay Changes the Game

Originally, Toxic and Dhurandhar 2 were scheduled to release on March 19, setting up a massive clash. Yash’s film was also planned for a global rollout, including an English version, aiming to attract a wider international audience.

However, with Toxic now rescheduled to June 4, the competitive landscape has completely shifted. The Gulf region remains a crucial market for Toxic, which likely influenced the decision to delay the film.

For Dhurandhar 2, though, the situation has turned into a major opportunity. With no direct competition from a large pan-India film, it now has the chance to dominate screens across both North and South India.

Bigger Potential in the Domestic Market

Trade analysts believe that although the Middle East ban could cost the film around ₹100–150 crore in potential earnings, the absence of a major rival might allow it to recover that amount through stronger domestic performance.

By expanding into multiple languages and focusing heavily on Indian audiences, Aditya Dhar’s spy-action sequel could achieve far bigger numbers than its predecessor. Some industry observers even suggest that if the momentum continues, the film may have the potential to target a ₹2000 crore global benchmark.

In an unexpected twist, what once seemed like a major obstacle — limited access to the Middle Eastern market — may ultimately turn into a strategic advantage for Dhurandhar 2.