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‘There were just 40–50 percent’: Dhurandhar 2’s Uzair Baloch aka Danish Pandor recalls prequel’s ‘heartbreaking’ start, calls ‘propaganda’ debate ‘subjective’
His anxiety only grew when he witnessed the initial turnout. “When the film finally released on Friday, I went for the 2:30 pm show. There were barely 40–50 people in the theatre. I kept wondering — we have made such a beautiful film, and there are no viewers.”
Danish Pandor recalls Dhurandhar's slow start. (Photo: Danish Pandor/Instagram)
Just days before Dhurandhar released on December 5, the film was hit by a series of setbacks. Media and celebrity screenings were abruptly cancelled, as were premieres in countries like Australia and New Zealand, reportedly due to “technical issues.” The negative buzz that followed cast a shadow over the film’s box office prospects. Actor Danish Pandor, who plays Uzair Baloch (Akshaye Khanna’s younger brother) in the film, recalled how deeply it affected him. “There were just 40–50 people to watch the film on its release day,” he said, describing the moment as “heartbreaking.” The situation, however, echoed the journeys of classics like Zanjeer and Sholay, which also faced early hurdles and lukewarm starts before going on to become iconic.
‘Too much negative publicity around Dhurandhar’
Speaking to abplive.com, Danish reflected on the atmosphere leading up to the release: “It’s all about the audience. I remember the film released on Friday after the screening got cancelled on Thursday. I was completely heartbroken. I couldn’t understand what was happening. I kept thinking, ‘It is such a great film, why is this happening?’ And on top of that, there was too much negative publicity around it.”
His anxiety only grew when he witnessed the initial turnout. “When the film finally released on Friday, I went for the 2:30 pm show. There were barely 40–50 percent capacity in the theatre. I kept wondering — we have made such a beautiful film, and there are no viewers.” But the tide turned quickly.
“From 8 pm onwards, reviews started pouring in. Suddenly people began watching it and talking about it on social media. It picked up so well that there was no looking back,” he said. Reflecting on the dramatic turnaround, Danish added, “The reality is, no matter how much negativity surrounds a film, when audiences decide to show their love, nobody can stop them. That’s what matters most. Dhurandhar is a testament to the love people have for the film, its characters, and every department.”
On Dhurandhar 2 being called a ‘propaganda’
Addressing allegations of propaganda, he remained measured: “It is very subjective. People are very sharp. Filmmaking is about storytelling — you’re not forcing any message. You present something as a visual experience, and it’s up to the audience how they interpret it.” Speaking about the film’s sequel, the actor shared: “Despite all the negativity, I am struggling to find tickets now — that says a lot.”
Dhurandhar 2 box office
According to Sacnilk, the Ranveer Singh-starrer has crossed the Rs 900 crore mark worldwide within just six days of release and is on track to surpass its predecessor’s lifetime haul of Rs 1,300 crore. Dhurandhar 2 has reportedly earned Rs 919 crore globally so far, with India net collections at Rs 575.67 crore. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film also stars Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun, among others.
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