Dhurandhar's Global Domination: Shaking Up the All-Time Overseas Box Office Rankings

The true measure of an Indian film's success is no longer confined to its domestic performance; the global box office is the ultimate arena where blockbusters become legends. For years, this elite club has been dominated by films that achieved astronomical success in markets like China. However, a new challenger has rewritten the rules. The phenomenal blockbuster Dhurandhar has not only shattered domestic records but has also made a spectacular entry into the all-time Top 10 list of highest-grossing Indian films overseas, a feat made even more remarkable by the significant hurdles it faced.

The story of the year is undoubtedly Dhurandhar, which has already stormed into the #10 spot on the all-time overseas list with a monumental collection of ₹290 Cr. This incredible achievement is the crowning jewel on its staggering worldwide gross, which has surpassed ₹1259.5 Cr to date, already cementing its legacy as one of the highest-grossing Indian films in history. Its domestic dominance has been absolute, with its India Net collection soaring past ₹808 Cr and continuing to climb. The film's run so far has been defined by blistering speed—becoming the second-fastest Hindi film to cross the coveted ₹500 crore net mark—and incredible longevity, with its powerful sixth-week collections challenging the records of modern classics like Jawan and Uri.

However, Dhurandhar's final overseas ranking comes with a compelling story of what could have been. The film did not secure a release in the lucrative Gulf countries, a market that is consistently a major contributor to a blockbuster's international tally. Industry analysts estimate that this resulted in a potential loss of at least ₹90 crore. Had the film earned this amount, its total overseas collection would have surged to ₹380 crore. This hypothetical figure would have catapulted Dhurandhar four places up the ladder to the #6 position, surpassing the epic Baahubali 2: The Conclusion and placing it just behind the Shah Rukh Khan starrers. This context reframes its #10 position not as a limitation, but as a testament to its raw power in the markets where it did release.

Looking at the rest of the list, the massive influence of the China box office is undeniable. Aamir Khan's Dangal remains in a league of its own, sitting at an untouchable #1 spot with a jaw-dropping ₹1535.3 Cr overseas, a figure powered almost entirely by its historic run in China. Following the same path, Secret Superstar stands tall at #2 with ₹831.47 Cr, another film that found unprecedented love from the Chinese audience. Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan also benefited immensely from a delayed China release, which propelled its international total to ₹489.47 Cr. The trend continued with surprise hits like Andhadhun (₹347.62 Cr) and the groundbreaking PK (₹303 Cr), both of which found massive success in the Far East.

In the modern era, Shah Rukh Khan has reclaimed his title as the king of overseas with Jawan (₹400 Cr) and Pathaan (₹397.5 Cr). These films achieved their mammoth numbers without a China release, dominating traditional markets across the USA, Canada, UK, and Australia. Similarly, the pan-Indian epics Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (₹371.16 Cr) and the Oscar-winning RRR (₹314.15 Cr) proved that compelling storytelling can transcend language and cultural barriers, finding success across the globe.

Dhurandhar's entry into this prestigious list is a watershed moment, proving that a film can achieve global blockbuster status even without access to all key markets. It stands as a powerful symbol of content winning hearts and wallets across the world.