The upcoming release of Ustaad Bhagat Singh starring Pawan Kalyan is gearing up for a major theatrical debut on March 19, 2026. However, the Telugu action-drama will face stiff competition at the box office as the Hindi spy thriller Dhurandhar: The Revenge is also scheduled to hit cinemas on the same day. Addressing the impending clash, director Harish Shankar shared his thoughts during a recent conversation with Gulte.
Speaking about the competing film and its director Aditya Dhar, Shankar expressed admiration while explaining his perspective on the situation. He said, “With all due respect, Aditya Dhar is a superior filmmaker. I watched Uri. He is a very impactful, very influential filmmaker. Having said that, India-wide films should consider Dhurandhar as competition. But we have our Telugu states for the film.”
The filmmaker also emphasised that the two films belong to very different cinematic spaces, which could help both find their respective audiences. Elaborating on the genre difference, he said, “Also, they both belong to very different genres. If, in place of Dhurandhar, it was an SRK (Shah Rukh Khan) movie, songs, a full entertainer zone, then we would have thought, ‘Oh, it’s similar to our film.’ But Bhagat Singh and Dhurandhar are totally different films.”
Shankar further revealed that the decision to release the film on that particular date was not solely his. According to him, the release plan was taken collectively by the team and stakeholders associated with the project. Reflecting on the situation, he stated, “Also, it’s a collective decision. It wasn’t in my hands alone. Somewhere within, I too felt, ‘I am doing a film with Pawan Sir after so long, and for that film to compete with any other big film…’ And still, whether it’s Sankranti or summer, it’s always a combination. There is space for 2-3 big films to work. It’s not like they won’t show any other film except Dhurandhar across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.”
Directed by Harish Shankar and produced by Naveen Yerneni and Y. Ravi Shankar under the banner of Mythri Movie Makers, Ustaad Bhagat Singh features Pawan Kalyan in the role of a rugged IPS officer. The film also stars Sreeleela, Raashii Khanna, Ashutosh Rana and Gautami Tadimalla in pivotal roles. The story revolves around a police officer and his daughter who fake their deaths to navigate a dangerous path of revenge following a tragic incident.
Meanwhile, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, written and directed by Aditya Dhar and backed by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, features Ranveer Singh as covert operative Jaskirat Singh Rangi aka Hamza Ali Mazari. The sequel also stars Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Sara Arjun in key roles. With both films set to release across multiple territories on March 19, the clash has sparked significant curiosity among audiences and trade watchers alike.
More Pages: Dhurandhar The Revenge Box Office Collection , Dhurandhar The Revenge Movie Review
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