With less than a month left for March 19, excitement is rising fast around the big box office face-off between Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge (Dhurandhar 2)’ and Yash’s ‘Toxic’.
Also Read: Eid box office war? Yash refuses to blink, ‘Toxic’ release stays locked
Both films carry strong fan followings, making the upcoming release date one of the most closely watched in recent times.
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has now shared his thoughts on the clash, and his take has quickly grabbed attention.
Varma: Not North vs South, but cinema vs cinema
Taking to X, Varma argued that the competition should not be seen as a regional fight. According to him, the real difference lies in filmmaking approach and how each film treats its viewers.
THE #Dhuroxic PARK
NO, I am not talking about TWO BIG FILMS #Dhurandhar2 and #Toxic releasing on March 19th. I am actually talking about a NEVER BEFORE SEEN or EXPERIENCED mythical archetype EXPLODING in the GRAND ARENA of INDIAN CINEMAS.
It is a BATTLE between DAVID AND GOLIATH…— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) February 22, 2026
He wrote that the face-off is “not about North against South” but a “brutal clash between two cultures of cinema.” Varma suggested that ‘Dhurandhar’ respects the audience’s intelligence, while ‘Toxic’ assumes a more spectacle-driven approach.
His comparison sparks debate
In his detailed post, Varma referenced K.G.F: Chapter 2, claiming it targeted mass appeal differently from films that aim to engage viewers intellectually.
He argued that global success often comes when films trust the audience’s thinking ability rather than relying only on scale.
Varma also pointed to the reported massive earnings of earlier big entertainers to support his view that audiences are more discerning than filmmakers sometimes assume.
‘Ten brutal truths’ about the two films
The filmmaker further listed what he called “10 SAVAGE brutal truths” between the two projects.
Among them were: organic hero discovery vs heavy hero worship, grounded storytelling vs gravity-defying spectacle, ensemble importance vs single-star elevation.
Through these points, Varma stressed that the real battle is about storytelling philosophy.
‘My hope for Indian cinema’
Varma later clarified that his comments were not driven by personal bias. He said his observations come from a larger concern for the direction of the film industry.
He wrote that he is “waiting with bated breath” for March 19, adding that the box office outcome may reveal which kind of cinema today’s audiences truly support.
Later clarifies his tweet
In another post, he clarifies that he is not particularly siding with one film, rather talking about different styles of cinema potrayed.
He said, “For all the dumbos , who didn’t understand I just wanted to clarify that , in the context of the 2 releases , I was talking about the styles of cinema and not in particular about a film.
For all the dumbos , who dint understand I just wanted to clarify that , in the context of the 2 releases , I was talking about the styles of cinema and not in particular about a film https://t.co/Ydy61Nr32F
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) February 22, 2026
All eyes on the big showdown
As the release date draws closer, conversations around ‘Dhurandhar’ and ‘Toxic’ continue to heat up online and within the trade. Whether the clash turns into the cultural face-off Varma predicts will become clear once the films hit theatres worldwide.