As March 19, 2026, inches closer, the conversation around Indian cinema has slipped into familiar territory – the big box-office battle and who will win. With Yash’s Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups and Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2, titled Dhurandhar: The Revenge, arriving together on the coveted Eid weekend, the industry is abuzz with curiosity about the outcome of this clash. But to frame this moment as a zero-sum game is to miss the larger, far more exciting picture. This is not about one film cannibalising the other – it is about two giants confidently coexisting, and in doing so, expanding the theatrical pie.
A source says, “Dhurandhar 2 and Toxic are unapologetically tentpole in scale and ambition. The advantage is that Dhurandhar’s first installment went on to become the highest-grossing Hindi-language film of all time and, notably, saw a renewed surge in attention after dropping on Netflix during the same week this data was recorded. That recency effect has naturally amplified recall and conversation around the sequel. As a standalone, non-franchise title Toxic (Hindi) is performing incredibly while it is yet to fully unveil its promotional arsenal. In a market where sequels often command runaway buzz, Toxic’s exponential rise in popularity signals audience’s massive curiosity around the Yash starrer. It reflects a readiness to engage with original cinematic worlds alongside familiar ones—further strengthening the argument that March 19 is not a zero-sum showdown, but a high-potential weekend where two distinct films can thrive neck and neck.”
Exhibitors, often the first stakeholders to feel the heat of so-called clashes, are striking a refreshingly pragmatic note. PVR INOX’s Aamer Bijli recently summed it up when he said such releases are “not too challenging” and that collaborative release dates can, in fact, offer strong momentum. Theatre owners echo this sentiment, pointing out the obvious but often ignored upside: when two highly anticipated films arrive together, footfalls don’t split – they multiply. Beyond the regular Friday crowd, curiosity-driven viewers, repeat audiences, and celebratory holiday crowds step in, turning the weekend into an event rather than a duel.
There is also a growing consensus among exhibitors that a fair, near 50–50 screen division is not only possible but practical. The content is distinct, the audiences overlap but don’t entirely mirror each other, and programming flexibility allows cinemas to respond dynamically to demand. Indian cinema has been here before. History reminds us that films as ideologically and tonally different as Lagaan and Gadar: Ek Prem Katha didn’t just survive together—they went on to become landmarks.
Veteran trade analyst Taran Adarsh also believes that there should be 50-50 screen division. “I genuinely feel that it should be divided equally. But it’s going to be a tough fight. And I don’t think the distributors of both the films would want to forego certain prime shows,” he said.
He also points out to the fan wars on social media. “What happens is that people will fight for the show, people will fight for the prime show timing. And the fan wars will only aggravate the situation. As the release date draws nearer, you will see a lot of fan wars happening,” he said.
Adarsh also highlighted that a lot of money is riding on both the films. “Both are expensive films. Both are releasing in multiple languages. There’s a lot of money riding on both. And both, as I said, have the potential to be record breakers. So, prior to the release, it leads to a lot of talk about screen sharing like don’t give this, don’t give single screen, don’t give multiple screen”
Adarsh further added, “Let the business prosper. Let the business be the winner. Let the industry be the winner. Because I think both have potential to really break box office records. KGF 2, which was a blockbuster. And we all know what Dhurandar is. I mean, it’s historic. It’s the biggest Hindi film ever.”
He also pointed out the goodness of the people on both the sides. “Both are wonderful people. I know Mr. Venkat K Narayana, the producer of Toxic. Very nice man. I know Jyoti Deshpande. She, of course, is a fantastic producer. Very professional person. Both the sides are very nice people. And so are the distributors also.
Lastly, Adarsh expressed that one should look at the industry as a whole and let the industry win. “It’s not like, let Dhurandar win or let Toxic win. Both should win. And the industry should be the biggest winner eventually. And so should the audience because they will also get a choice to watch both the films. It’s a long (holiday) period already,” he said.
In an industry that thrives on plurality of options, when content is strong, cinema coexists. And that is a win for everyone, especially the viewer, who remains the final, most decisive judge.
The post The Lagaan–Gadar lesson, updated for 2026: Toxic and Dhurandhar 2 can coexist and conquer appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
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