Day 18 Early: Ranveer’s Dhurandhar Holds Strong, Edges Past Avatar Fire And Ash on Monday
Early Monday trends show Dhurandhar continuing its steady run at the Indian box office. The Ranveer Singh starrer managed a respectable hold on Day 18, and in the crucial weekday window it even overshadowed Avatar: Fire And Ash (Avatar 3) in India — a reminder that local films with star power and good word-of-mouth can still punch above big global tentpoles on weekdays.
Early numbers and what they mean
- Dhurandhar (Day 18 early estimate): Around ₹1.5–2.5 crore net across India. This keeps the film’s cumulative total comfortably growing after a strong opening and a steady weekend.
- Avatar: Fire And Ash (Day 18 early estimate): Roughly ₹0.8–1.6 crore net in India on Monday — lower per-screen averages compared with the local release.
- Per-screen advantage: Dhurandhar is seeing higher occupancy in multiplexes, especially in metro and tier-1 circuits, which is helping it outperform Avatar on weekdays despite the Hollywood title’s larger overall worldwide footprint.
These are early estimates and final Monday totals will firm up by evening, but the trend is clear: Dhurandhar’s audience pull has remained consistent into the third week, while Avatar 3 is experiencing the usual weekday softening after a front-loaded weekend.
Why Dhurandhar is holding up
- Star power: Ranveer Singh’s presence and ongoing publicity keep footfalls steady in key markets.
- Word-of-mouth: Positive chatter on social media and repeat viewings from fans are supporting weekday business.
- Target audience fit: Dhurandhar’s tone and storytelling are resonating with multiplex audiences who are more likely to return even on non-holiday weekdays.
- Screen allocation: The film retained healthy show counts in important circuits, giving it better visibility and higher average occupancy.
Why Avatar 3 dipped on Monday
- Weekend-heavy run: Big Hollywood films often rely on weekend footfalls and IMAX/3D premium shows, which taper sharply on weekdays.
- Demographics: Avatar’s major business comes from family and premium-format audiences; on a regular Monday, those segments tend to scale back.
- Competition from local releases: A strong Hindi release can fragment the weekday audience, hurting per-screen averages for even huge international titles.
Territory-wise picture
Metro cities and multiplex-heavy circuits are driving Dhurandhar’s hold. The film is doing particularly well in Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, and major south and west Indian metros where Ranveer’s pull and multiplex culture combine for repeat viewings. Avatar 3 continues to lead in premium formats like IMAX and large screens where its technical spectacle is a bigger draw, but those formats are fewer in number and less dominant on a Monday.
What to watch this week
- Midweek stability: If Dhurandhar maintains similar Monday-to-Friday holds, it could comfortably extend its lifetime total and close in on new milestones by the next weekend.
- Weekend showdown: The true test will be the upcoming weekend — whether Dhurandhar can convert weekday stability into another strong Saturday–Sunday bounce against continued Avatar shows and any new releases.
- Final Monday numbers: Keep an eye out for evening trade updates to lock in the official Monday net figures, which will clarify the week’s trajectory.
For now, the early Monday picture is good news for Ranveer Singh and Dhurandhar — a steady third week and a domestic edge over a global blockbuster on a workday is a notable achievement. Final numbers will arrive later in the day, but the momentum is clearly in Dhurandhar’s favour as it settles into its long-tail run.