Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 18 (ANI): It was supposed to be a day of excitement and anticipation. Fans had booked their tickets well in advance for the highly-awaited ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ paid preview shows at Galaxy and Gaiety theatres in Mumbai, eagerly waiting to experience the latest blockbuster sequel.
However, what was promised as a thrilling show turned into disappointment for moviegoers, as both the 4:45 PM show at Galaxy and the 5:15 PM show at Gaiety were abruptly cancelled.
Fans began arriving early, some as early as 4:30 PM, hoping to secure their spots for what was expected to be a packed theatre. Fans opened up about their love for the first ‘Dhurandhar’ film and their high hopes for the sequel. Many came from far-off places like Andheri, hoping to make it a movie night to remember.
“I thought the show would start at 6 PM,” one fan shared, “but then they told us it was delayed until 9 PM,” he added, “But I think it’s the team’s fault. I will come tomorrow now”
Some fans were devastated. “I came all the way from Andheri for this movie,” one disappointed moviegoer said. “I thought I would watch it for 4 hours, but now it’s all ruined.”
Many of the fans had been waiting for hours, some standing from 4 pm, and others arriving only to find the theatre packed with people, all of whom shared the same heartbreaking news: the ‘Dhurandar 2’ show was delayed.
“I was excited to watch it. I even had my friends with me,” another fan added. “We came to watch ‘Dhurandhar 2’ at 3 pm. We booked the tickets 10 days ago. The shows at 4 and 5 pm got cancelled… If the show gets cancelled at night, we will have to refund it. The audience came here at 3 pm. My 5 friends left in anger. I have booked the tickets for the night. I will come back at 9 pm.”
“They said the movie file didn’t arrive,” one frustrated fan explained. “How does that even happen? It should have been ready by now.”
Fans who had booked their tickets online were left wondering when the money would be returned. “I’m just hoping the refund process doesn’t take too long.”
Fans were quick to point out that ‘Dhurandhar 2’ had been a long-anticipated release, and with the success of previous paid previews, it was expected that everything would run smoothly.
“If the team knew there were issues, they should have handled this earlier,” said another fan. “They should’ve delivered the content 2-3 days ago. This is on them.”
Many fans felt that the delay and confusion could have been avoided if proper planning had been in place, especially for a movie with such a huge following. “They should have made sure everything was in order before showing the film. It’s a big movie, after all,” one fan remarked.
Fans of Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ faced disappointment on Wednesday as paid preview shows in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana were reportedly cancelled just hours before their scheduled start, though no official confirmation has been issued by the makers.
AGS Cinemas in Chennai shared the update on X, stating, “We regret to inform that the Tamil paid previews of Dhurandhar: The Revenge scheduled for today have been cancelled. Refunds will be initiated shortly. Thank you for your patience.”
Broadway Cinemas in Coimbatore updated fans about the cancellation, “Dhurandhar: The Revenge – Tamil paid previews scheduled for this evening have been cancelled due to non-availability. Hindi paid previews will be scheduled instead. We are initiating the refunds shortly. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
Reports suggested that the cancellations are primarily affecting regional dubbed versions and select international screenings where the required print files failed to arrive in time. The much-anticipated paid previews faced widespread disruption across India, with major chaos reported in Mumbai as well. Several netizens were quick to express shock over the ordeal they faced.
Director Aditya Dhar later issued an apology to audiences after last-minute cancellations and delays disrupted paid previews of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ across multiple regions, assuring fans that Hindi shows were running as scheduled, while regional dubbed versions will resume shortly, offering refunds or alternate options where required.
In a statement shared on X, Dhar wrote, “To our dear Dhurandhar family, Dhurandhar is not just a film for us – it is something we have lived with, nurtured, and dreamed of sharing with each and every one of you, together, at the same moment, in every language.”
Clarifying the status of screenings, Dhar added, “Most of our Hindi shows across India are running as scheduled from 5 pm onwards. All of our Tamil and Telugu shows will commence from 9 pm onwards. However, due to unforeseen technical difficulties, our Malayalam and Kannada shows will begin from tomorrow morning.”
He further informed fans, “If the dubbed version you have tickets for is not currently playing at your cinema, you will have an option for a refund or to watch the Hindi version with subtitles instead. We truly apologise for the inconvenience. Your love for this film means the world to us, and we cannot wait to share it with you.”
‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on March 19. The film will open during the festive window of Eid, Gudi Padwa, and Ugadi, positioning it for a major box-office debut. In line with its pan-India ambitions, the spy action film will release in multiple languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam.
‘Dhurandhar’ was released in theatres on December 5 last year and went on to become the highest-grossing film of 2025. The film has since achieved cult status and rewritten box-office history, surpassing ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ to emerge as the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time. (ANI)
