Ranveer Singh is on a dream run at the box office, and his Dhurandhar franchise is proof that smart financial moves can lead to blockbuster success. While reports earlier claimed the actor charged a whopping Rs 50 crore for the film, producer Jyoti Deshpande has now dropped the real story — and it’s a masterclass in Bollywood deal-making.
The Backend Deal That Paid Off
In a recent chat, Deshpande revealed that Ranveer didn’t take his usual hefty upfront fee for Dhurandhar. Instead, he opted for a back-end profit-sharing model. “Ranveer took a lower upfront fee and participated in the upside. Aditya also reduced his fee and shared the risk with us,” she said. The strategy was built from day one — both the actor and director agreed to take less money initially in exchange for a slice of the profits if the film succeeded.
And succeed it did. Dhurandhar Part 1, released in December 2025, earned over Rs 1,300 crore worldwide. The sequel, which hit theaters in March, crossed Rs 1,800 crore. Together, the two films have raked in nearly Rs 3,000 crore globally, making it one of the biggest commercial hits in recent years. Needless to say, Ranveer’s backend deal means he’s laughing all the way to the bank — literally earning more than that rumored Rs 50 crore figure.
Budget Doubled, But So Did Ambition
The producer also opened up about the film’s skyrocketing production costs. “The budget almost doubled from what we had initially envisaged,” Deshpande admitted. Despite the financial strain, the team decided to back the film’s expanding scale and vision, believing in its long-term potential. The risk-sharing model helped keep the project afloat during those tense moments.
Now, with the franchise crossing the Rs 3,000 crore mark, those doubled budgets look like chai paani. The gamble paid off not just for the makers but for everyone who took a cut in upfront earnings. Industry insiders say this kind of trust between producer, director, and actor is rare — but when it works, it works big time.
From One Film to a Rs 3000 Crore Franchise
Here’s the twist — Dhurandhar wasn’t even supposed to be a two-part film. Deshpande revealed that the idea of splitting the story came during production. “When we first decided to fund it, it wasn’t certain that it would be made into two films. We made this decision during the journey,” she said. After the first shooting schedule, the makers realized the footage and narrative scale could support two parts. The rest, as they say, is box office history.
Dhurandhar is now a shining example of how creative and financial risks can align to create something massive. Ranveer Singh, already known for his high-energy performances, has proven he also knows how to play the numbers game. And with Zhakaas returns from this deal, fans can expect even bigger things from the star in the future.