Dhurandhar or Toxic: The Big Test

Calls Dhurandhar vs Toxic a ‘David vs Goliath’ clash ahead of March 19 release

February 22, 2026: Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has stirred debate on social media after sharing his views on the upcoming box office clash between Dhurandhar 2 and Toxic. In a post on X, Varma described the face-off as a “David vs Goliath” battle, calling it a rare cinematic moment rather than a routine release clash. He clarified that the competition is not about North versus South or Bollywood versus Sandalwood, but about two contrasting cinematic cultures.

Varma argued that Dhurandhar respects the audience’s intelligence, while Toxic underestimates it. Citing reported budgets and box office figures, he claimed the success of Dhurandhar proves that mass audiences are more discerning than often assumed. He added that his comments stem from his hope for Indian cinema’s future and said he is eagerly awaiting March 19 to see which film emerges stronger at the box office.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar features actors like Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan and Arjun Rampal, and revolves around covert intelligence operations against the backdrop of events such as the Kandahar hijack and 26/11 attacks. Meanwhile, Toxic stars Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi and Tara Sutaria in pivotal roles, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated clashes of the year.