Dhurandhar beginning of the end for producers: Telugu writer Ravi talks budget gap

Filmmaker and writer BVS Ravi compared Telugu films' budgets with Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, noting key production differences. He said that Dhurandhar's success marks the beginning of the end for producers.

In Short

• BVS Ravi compares Dhurandhar’s Rs 260 crore budget with Telugu films starting at Rs 500 crore
• Dhurandhar’s production involved extensive research and an eight-hour film vision
• Star cast included Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Akshaye Khanna

Filmmaker, writer and producer BVS Ravi recently discussed the budget gap in the Telugu industry in relation to Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster film, Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh. Speaking in an interview with Gulte, Ravi called the Ranveer Singh-starrer 'a beginning of the end' for producers. He highlighted the film’s production budget of Rs 260 crore for both parts and contrasted it with Telugu films, which typically begin at Rs 500 crore.

Ravi expressed admiration for Aditya Dhar’s commitment to the project, noting the director's effort in creating an eight-hour film that required extensive research and a clear vision. He emphasised the trust and belief shown by the cast and producers in Dhar’s concept, which enabled the significant investment.

During the interview, he said, "Look at Dhurandhar, he (Aditya) made an 8-hour film. How hard he must have worked and how much he must have researched. He tried hard to make it logical. What is the theme that he has built? What is the number of people who have trusted and believed in his vision? How did he convince the producer to spend that kind of money?”

Addressing why Telugu cinema has not matched this scale despite higher budgets starting at Rs 500 crore, Ravi attributed the difference not to star remunerations but to producers’ planning during pre-production and production phases, especially considering rising filming costs.

Ravi concluded that Dhurandhar represents a shift in the industry, suggesting it could mark the beginning of the end for regular Telugu producers, given the differences in production approach and budgeting strategies.

"If you put it aside creatively, I think Dhurandhar is the beginning of the end of regular producers. It is known that the film was made on a budget of Rs 260 crore for both parts - with Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna and other people. Out of the world fights, look at the locations. They put up a set in Bangkok, but it still cost them that. We begin our films at the cost of Rs 500 crore, he said.

Dhurandhar released in December 2025 and collected over 1,300 crore worldwide. Its sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, released on March 19, has crossed 1,600 crore globally. Unlike the first film, the sequel was dubbed in all South Indian languages, though it did not release in Gulf countries.

Aditya Dhar wrote, directed, and co-produced the films along with Lokesh Dhar and Jyothi Deshpande under B62 Studios and Jio Studios. The cast includes Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera, and Danish Pandor.

The Dhurandhar series is one of the highest-grossing films in India, surpassed only by Dangal, Pushpa 2: The Rule, and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion.

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