The Ranveer Singh featured movie Dhurandhar keeps on rolling at the box office historically, smashing records every week. The Aditya Dhar-directed spy thriller was released on December 5 and has got the title of the highest-grossing Indian film, in solo language, with the domestic nett of over ₹831 crore and worldwide gross of over ₹1,220 crore.

With the film’s astonishing figures hitting the sky, fabled film exhibitor Manoj Desai—G7 Multiplex (Gaiety Galaxy) and Maratha Mandir Cinema’s Executive Director—made some honest comments about the film’s success and its ramifications in the industry through an interview with Bollywood Hungama.

‘Dhurandhar is clearly number one right now’

Calling Dhurandhar the undisputed leader at the box office, Desai said the film has outperformed every other release so far.
“Collection-wise, Dhurandhar has emerged as number one. Other big films are doing well too, but right now, this film is ahead of everyone,” he stated.

Interestingly, despite managing theatres running packed shows, Desai revealed he has not yet watched the film himself.
“When you own a shop selling milk and cream, you don’t get to consume it all yourself. In the same way, I haven’t been able to watch Dhurandhar yet—but I will,” he said with a smile.

Strong promotions and music pulled crowds

Desai credited aggressive marketing and digital buzz for the film’s extraordinary footfalls.
“In our theatres, whether it’s Maratha Mandir or G7 Multiplex, Dhurandhar has done phenomenal business. The publicity was extremely strong, and the songs released on YouTube created massive awareness,” he explained.

He further highlighted the growing importance of advertising in today’s cinema landscape, noting that Akshaye Khanna’s song from the film gained particular popularity online and helped draw audiences.

Manoj Desai on Akshaye Khanna losing Drishyam 3

Commenting on Akshaye Khanna’s career decisions post-Dhurandhar, Desai offered a personal opinion that sparked discussion.
“After the success, Akshaye ji increased his fees and lost Drishyam 3. I personally feel he shouldn’t have done that. Whenever a star tastes success—even from a short appearance—they should maintain a little calm,” he said, adding that the actor is, of course, free to make his own choices.

Lessons for Ranveer Singh and other stars

Desai believes Dhurandhar has firmly positioned Ranveer Singh among the industry’s top stars.
“If you make a film like this, you become number one—you become the king. Ranveer has proven his talent, and even family audiences have accepted him wholeheartedly,” he noted.

He advised that success should now be followed by careful script selection.
“Actors should choose their next films wisely—understand the story, their role, and the dialogues. This applies to everyone,” Desai said, summing up the film’s impact.

Written and directed by Aditya Dhar of Uri: The Surgical Strike fame, Dhurandhar features a powerhouse cast including Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, R. Madhavan and Rakesh Bedi, and continues to dominate theatres both in India and overseas.