Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar franchise may have become the first Indian film franchise to cross the ₹3,000 crore mark worldwide, but its Japanese debut has once again highlighted why Japan remains one of the toughest overseas markets for Indian cinema. Released in Japan on July 10 as Operation Dhurandhar through local distributor Twin, the film arrived with a nationwide release and a dedicated promotional campaign.
Ranveer Singh even recorded a special message inviting Japanese audiences to watch what he described as the biggest Indian movie of all time. Yet, the response has been far more subdued than the industry had anticipated.
While trade reports claimed the film sold fewer than 900 tickets on its opening day, there is no official Japanese admissions data available to independently verify that figure. What is confirmed is that Dhurandhar did not feature among Japan’s daily Top 25 box office titles on its opening day, indicating a softer-than-expected start.
The result once again underlines how differently Japan operates compared to most international markets. Unlike territories where a film’s global success often fuels a strong opening, Japanese audiences have consistently shown that they place greater value on long-term word of mouth than pre-release hype.
That is precisely what happened with RRR. The film did not become Japan’s highest-grossing Indian release overnight. It steadily built a loyal audience through repeat viewings, fan communities and sustained appreciation, eventually evolving into a cultural phenomenon months after its release.
Interestingly, Dhurandhar’s Japanese campaign also reflected an understanding of this market. Rather than relying heavily on the franchise’s record-breaking box office numbers, local promotional material positioned the film as an espionage thriller centred on intelligence operations and high-stakes action. Discussions among Japanese moviegoers have also pointed to the film being released largely with Japanese subtitles instead of a dubbed version, although there is no evidence to suggest that this directly impacted its opening.
For the Indian film business, Dhurandhar’s start is less about one film underperforming and more about a recurring lesson. Japan remains one of the few major overseas territories where franchise value, worldwide collections and aggressive marketing offer no guarantee of immediate box office success. Films are ultimately judged by audience response after release, not by the scale of expectations before it.
That also means Dhurandhar’s story in Japan is far from over. Japanese theatrical runs are known to build gradually through positive word of mouth, making it too early to write off the film. For now, however, its opening serves as another reminder that while global blockbusters can enter Japan with enormous expectations, winning over Japanese audiences still has to be earned.