‘Dhurandhar 2’, starring Ranveer Singh, is one of the most anticipated films of the year, especially after the great success of the first installment. But it clashes with Yash-starrer ‘Toxic’ and while one will see which film does better than the other, as far as the overall buzz in Indian cinema is concerned, ‘Toxic’ has been dominating the national conversation. Interestingly, the scenario in the US market presents a slightly different picture. While the spy action sequel is steadily consolidating its position, Geetu Mohandas’ Kannada period gangster drama is gradually gaining ground. Here’s a closer look at the premiere’s pre-sale numbers.The North American market has responded enthusiastically to ‘Dhurandhar 2’, buoyed by the phenomenal success of its first installment. According to the latest update from Venky Box Office, the film has registered advance bookings worth $33.7 thousand. In the last 24 hours alone, sales increased by 159%, along with an increase in the number of shows to 209.
So far, more than 1.9 thousand tickets have been sold in 151 locations in the US. With 17 days left until the releases, industry observers expect the film to close with blockbuster pre-sales. With a cast that includes Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal and R. Madhavan, the film seems to be on a solid trajectory despite its box office clash with ‘Toxic’, provided it maintains this momentum.On the other hand, ‘Toxic’, headed by Yash, has registered pre-sales for 3.6 thousand dollars in 81 locations in the United States. With its screening count rising to 122, the film witnessed modest growth in the last 24 hours. To date, approximately 189 tickets have been sold in the American market.It is worth noting that Kannada films are still in the process of establishing a consistent footprint abroad. However, Yash’s comeback after the huge success of ‘KGF Chapter 2’ could provide a significant boost. With 17 days left before launch, there is enough time for collections to accelerate.For now, Ranveer Singh and his team are clearly leading the North American race. The gap in the number of shows between the two films remains substantial, but industry watchers remain hopeful that Geetu Mohandas’ directorial venture will gain traction as more shows release.According to a tweet by Venky Box Office, ‘Dhurandhar 2’ is maintaining strong momentum 16 days ahead of its release and is aiming for a “record Hindi premiere number.” The update further revealed that the film earned $67,112 through the sale of 3,932 tickets. Consequently, the advance sales of ‘Dhurandhar 2’ have crossed the $100,000 mark.Meanwhile, as far as the domestic box office is concerned, ‘Toxic’ may dominate the domestic box office as it gets more screens in the south. For example, in Kerala, the Yash starrer has double the number of screens.‘Toxic’ also stars Kiara Advani, Nayanthara and Huma Qureshi.