Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar Did Not Take Hefty Paychecks for the ‘Dhurandhar’ Franchise – Here’s Why

The Dhurandhar franchise has emerged as one of the biggest box-office success stories in recent Indian cinema, grossing over INR 3,000 crore worldwide across its two instalments. Fresh details regarding the film's financial strategy reveal how its leading star, Ranveer Singh, and director, Aditya Dhar, chose to navigate the project's soaring production costs. Instead of demanding massive, upfront paychecks, both Singh and Dhar opted for a risk-sharing model, significantly lowering their fixed salaries in exchange for profit-sharing agreements linked directly to the franchise's performance. Amid ‘Don 3’ Row, Ranveer Singh Attends Champions League 2026 Final in Budapest; Actor Poses With THIS Arsenal Star and Fans in Viral Photos.

What Was Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar’s Remuneration for ‘Dhurandhar’ Films?

In an interview with ET Digital, Jio Studios co-producer Jyoti Deshpande addressed the industry's rising filmmaking expenses and detailed the unique remuneration strategy implemented for Dhurandhar. Deshpande confirmed that both Singh and Dhar agreed to a structure that aligned their earnings with the ultimate theatrical outcome.

“In Dhurandhar, Ranveer came with a smaller fixed fee and a backend deal, and therefore benefited from that arrangement,” Deshpande said. “The same was true for Aditya, who also came in with a smaller fixed fee and a backend. He ended up making a significant upside along with us. That’s how you distribute both the risk and the reward.”

According to the production house, this arrangement created a sense of shared ownership. Rather than relying on guaranteed, heavy upfront payouts that place financial strain on production, the talent chose to invest their financial success directly into the project's execution.

Escalating Budgets and Box-Office Returns

The decision to restructure talent fees proved essential as the scope of the project grew significantly during production. Looking back on the journey, Deshpande disclosed that what began as a single feature film eventually expanded into a massive two-part franchise, pushing the production budget to nearly double its initial estimation.

“On Dhurandhar, we went all in," Deshpande said. "The film ended up being made for almost double the amount we had initially set out to spend. Of course, we eventually ended up with a two-part film, so it became a journey. In the end, all of us went laughing to the bank.”

The financial risk paid off substantially at the global box office. Dhurandhar debuted in theatres on December 5, 2025, and brought in a massive global haul of INR 1,307 crore. Its quick follow-up sequel, Dhurandhar 2, released on March 19, 2026, surpassed its predecessor by generating INR 1,790 crore worldwide.

‘Dhurandhar 2’ Streaming Release

The action-thriller features an ensemble cast that includes Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, and Sara Arjun. The narrative focuses on an operative named Jaskirat Singh Rangi, who is sent on an undercover mission to eliminate a terror network in Lyari, Pakistan, by embedding himself deep within a local community.

While the films received widespread praise for their high production scale and commercial reach, the franchise also drew polarising responses, with critics accusing it of favouring political narratives aligned with the ruling government. ‘Don 3’ Row: Ranveer Singh Sends Legal Notice to FWICE a Week After Its Non-Cooperation Directive – Report.

Following its highly successful theatrical runs, the franchise is transitioning to digital platforms. Audiences will be able to watch the action unfold at home when Dhurandhar: The Revenge begins streaming on JioHotstar on June 5, 2026.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2026 10:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).