Ranveer Singh crossed ₹3,000 crore across the globe and called ‘Dhurandhar’ the biggest Indian film ever made. Japan wasn’t listening. Fewer than 900 people turned up on day one.
Image Source: Netflix
Ranveer Singh’s action drama ‘Dhurandhar’ has crossed ₹3,000 crore worldwide. But its first day in Japanese cinemas did not go as planned.
The film released in Japan on July 10 as ‘Operation Dhurandhar’, through local distributor Twin. It opened on close to 80 screens across the country. Trade reports say fewer than 900 people watched the film on its opening day.
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Data from Japanese box office tracker Mimorin showed the film had drawn 449 admissions by 2 PM, while playing in 57 locations at that point. The release later widened to around 80 screens. Even so, footfall did not pick up much through the rest of the day.
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By the end of day one, total admissions stayed under 900. That kept the film out of Japan’s daily top 25 chart, a list it was widely expected to enter given its global success.
#Dhurandhar records a DISAPPOINTING opening weekend in Japan. 🇯🇵
The film FAILED to enter the MIMORIN Top 25 chart on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. The weekend trend itself speaks volumes about the film’s reception.
Since it did not feature in the Top 25 on a single day of its…
— Bollywood Box Office (@Bolly_BoxOffice) July 12, 2026
‘Dhurandhar’ had a strong build up before its Japan release. Ranveer Singh recorded a special video message for Japanese audiences, calling the film the biggest Indian movie ever made. The marketing team also leaned into the film’s identity as an espionage thriller, rather than pushing its record box office numbers.
The film released mainly with Japanese subtitles, not a dubbed version. Some Japanese viewers have pointed to this in online discussions.
Given the scale of the release and the promotional push behind it, the low opening day numbers surprised many in the trade.
Japan has been kind to some Indian films in the past. RRR became a major hit there, running in theatres for months and building a loyal fan base. Reports suggest it earned close to ₹135 crore in Japan alone. ‘Saaho’ also managed a strong opening day in the country.
Dhurandhar’s numbers instead resemble what Pushpa 2 saw in Japan. That film also opened with fewer than 900 admissions on day one, despite heavy anticipation beforehand.
This pattern suggests that box office success elsewhere does not always translate into ticket sales in Japan. It remains one of the more unpredictable markets for Indian cinema.
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