How Dhurandhar’s two films beat YRF spy universe to become Indian cinema’s biggest franchise

A new benchmark has been set at the Indian box office, with the Dhurandhar franchise overtaking the YRF Spy Universe to become the highest-grossing film franchise ever in the history of Indian cinema.

Dhurandhar franchise overtakes YRF's Spy Universe in the box office

According to the latest reported box office figures, Dhurandhar has amassed total earnings of ₹3,194.25 crore across just two films, narrowly surpassing the YRF Spy Universe, which has collected ₹3,194.21 crore through six releases. The razor-thin margin of ₹0.04 crore marks one of the closest record shifts seen in Indian box office history.

The achievement has sparked significant discussion across the film industry, given the scale and reach of the YRF Spy Universe, which has dominated Indian franchise cinema for several years through a string of high-profile releases produced by Yash Raj Films. The franchise includes blockbuster titles such as Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan and Tiger 3, with each release contributing to its cumulative box office strength.

The Dhurandhar series, by contrast, has reached the top with only two instalments, underscoring its exceptional commercial pull and suggesting a rare level of audience consolidation around a newer franchise property. While Indian cinema has seen several successful multi-film universes emerge over the past decade, few have demonstrated the pace of growth shown by Dhurandhar.

About the YRF Spy Universe

The YRF Spy Universe, created by producer Aditya Chopra, is currently the largest cinematic franchise in Indian cinema, focusing on a shared world of elite Indian intelligence agents.

The universe began with the Tiger series (Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai) starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, directed by Kabir Khan and Ali Abbas Zafar respectively. It expanded significantly with Siddharth Anand’s War (2019), introducing Hrithik Roshan as Kabir, and reached a fever pitch with Pathaan (2023), which brought Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone into the fold.

The franchise is known for its high-octane action, globetrotting missions, and strategic crossovers, such as Pathaan appearing in Tiger 3 (directed by Maneesh Sharma). As of 2026, the universe is entering a new phase with its first female-led film, Alpha (2026), directed by Shiv Rawail and starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari, alongside upcoming tentpoles like War 2 directed by Ayan Mukerji.

More about Dhurandhar franchise

The Dhurandhar franchise is a gritty, high-stakes spy thriller duology directed by Aditya Dhar that has quickly become a box-office phenomenon. Starting with Dhurandhar in late 2025 and followed by Dhurandhar: The Revenge in March 2026, the series stars Ranveer Singh as Hamza Ali Mazari (or Jaskirat Singh Rangi), an undercover agent infiltrating Karachi's criminal underworld.

The franchise is distinguished by its grounded approach, drawing heavy inspiration from real-life geopolitical events such as the IC-814 hijacking and the 26/11 attacks. Alongside Singh, the films feature a powerhouse ensemble cast including Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Rampal.

Produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, the franchise has made history by crossing the ₹3,000 crore mark worldwide across just two installments, cementing Aditya Dhar and Ranveer Singh as a premier director-actor duo in the action genre.