Dhurandhar Overtakes Saiyaara to Become 2025’s Third Highest-Grossing Indian Film

Ranveer Singh’s espionage thriller Dhurandhar has climbed to the third spot on the list of India’s highest-grossing films of 2025, overtaking the romantic drama Saiyaara, according to the latest trade figures. The box-office milestone underscores the strong audience appetite for high-stakes action films and cements Dhurandhar as one of the year’s most commercially successful releases.

Box Office Numbers at a Glance

Trade data released by Jio Studios, the film’s production banner, shows that Dhurandhar has collected ₹396.40 crore nett at the domestic box office so far. In comparison, Saiyaara, directed by Mohit Suri, earned ₹329.20 crore nett during its theatrical run, as per figures from industry tracking platform Sacnilk. Its producer Yash Raj Films (YRF) has stated that the romance drama achieved ₹376 crore gross in India.

Released on December 5, Dhurandhar continues to display strong weekday performance, adding ₹31.80 crore nett on its second Monday alone—an indicator of sustained audience interest beyond opening-weekend momentum.

Standing Among 2025’s Biggest Hits

With these collections, Dhurandhar now trails only Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava and Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 on the 2025 domestic box-office chart. Trade analysts attribute the film’s success to a combination of mass appeal, patriotic undertones, and the star power of its ensemble cast.

Inside Dhurandhar: Espionage and Action

Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar is set in Pakistan in the early 2000s and follows an Indian intelligence operative tasked with dismantling Karachi’s powerful mafia network. The film blends political intrigue with large-scale action sequences, a formula that has resonated strongly with mainstream audiences.

Alongside Ranveer Singh, the film features Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, and child actor Sara Arjun, whose performances have been highlighted by both critics and viewers.

Saiyaara: Romance with an Emotional Core

In contrast, Saiyaara carved its own space at the box office with a music-driven love story. The film stars Ahaan Panday as struggling singer Krish Kapoor and Aneet Padda as lyricist Vaani Batra. Their creative partnership blossoms into romance before taking a tragic turn when Vaani is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

While it has now been overtaken by Dhurandhar in nett collections, industry observers note that Saiyaara’s numbers remain impressive for a romantic drama led by relatively new actors.

What the Trend Signals

The box-office face-off between Dhurandhar and Saiyaara reflects a broader 2025 trend: big-budget action spectacles continue to dominate earnings, while emotionally driven romances rely more on word-of-mouth and long theatrical runs. For producers and distributors, the success of both films highlights the importance of genre diversity in sustaining audience engagement.