By the time a film reaches its third Thursday, expectations are usually modest. The initial rush has long subsided, weekdays dominate the calendar, and collections are expected to settle into restrained, predictable territory. Dhurandhar, however, has once again torn up that playbook. With a staggering Rs. 28.60 crore on its third Thursday, the film has delivered the highest third Thursday collection of all time, and by a margin that borders on unreal.
To understand the scale of this performance, it helps to look at the benchmarks it has left behind. Until now, Pushpa 2: The Rule topped the list with Rs. 9 crore. Dhurandhar’s Rs. 28.60 crore is over 3.1 times higher, translating to a 218 percent jump over what was previously considered exceptional for a third Thursday. That gap alone signals a seismic shift in how deep-run weekday business is being redefined.
The dominance only grows sharper when compared to other modern blockbusters. Gadar 2 collected Rs. 8.10 crore on its third Thursday; Dhurandhar has outperformed it by more than 3.5 times, or roughly 253 percent. Against KGF: Chapter 2 (Rs. 6.30 crore), the multiplier rises to 4.5x, while Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (Rs. 6.05 crore) now looks almost conservative in comparison, with Dhurandhar delivering nearly 4.7 times that figure.
Even recent juggernauts that defined box office dominance in the post-pandemic era appear dwarfed. Jawan stood at Rs. 5.97 crore and Stree 2 at Rs. 5.70 crore on their respective third Thursdays. Dhurandhar has exceeded both by around 4.8x to 5x, a margin of nearly 380 to 400 percent. Films like Chhaava (Rs. 5.51 crore) and Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 (Rs. 4 crore) fall even further behind, with Dhurandhar performing over 5 to 7 times higher, underscoring the extraordinary nature of this run.
What makes this third Thursday particularly striking is not just the arithmetic, but the timing. Day 20 is typically a phase of attrition, not acceleration. For Dhurandhar to post Rs. 28.60 crore at this stage suggests a film that is still operating in peak-demand mode, fuelled by sustained word-of-mouth, repeat audiences and a festive surge that has amplified rather than diluted its pull. This is no longer the story of a blockbuster holding firm; it is the story of a film expanding its footprint deep into its third week.
From a trade perspective, third Thursday numbers are a reliable indicator of true endurance. They strip away opening-week hype and leave behind pure audience intent. By outperforming its closest competitor by over 200 percent and several others by 400 to nearly 700 percent, Dhurandhar has not just set a new record it has blown the ceiling off what the industry believed was possible on a weekday this late in a film’s run.
At Rs. 28.60 crore, Dhurandhar’s third Thursday stands as a landmark moment, reinforcing the film’s status as an unrepeatable box office force. It is a reminder that this run is not governed by conventional trends or historical patterns. Instead, Dhurandhar is busy creating a new reference point altogether one where even the deepest weekdays can feel like opening weekend territory.
Top 10 All-Time Highest Third Thursday Grossers
Dhurandhar - Rs. 28.60 cr
Pushpa 2 - The Rule - Rs. 9 cr
Gadar 2 - Rs. 8.10 cr
KGF - Chapter 2 - Rs. 6.30 cr
Baahubali 2 - The Conclusion - Rs. 6.05 cr
Jawan - Rs. 5.97 cr
Stree 2 - Rs. 5.70 cr
Chhaava - Rs. 5.51 cr
Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1 - Rs. 4 cr
3 Idiots - Rs. 3.67 cr
