March 2026 is shaping up to be the next Sankranthi season at the box office. At the pan-Indian level, four films are set to clash within a span of two weeks.
Though the makers of Nani’s The Paradise are still officially sticking to their March 2026 release plan, the trade has largely ruled the film out of the race.
As of now, four films — Dhurandhar 2, Toxic, Dacoit, and Peddi — have locked their dates and slots, setting the stage for a major box-office battle. Interestingly, all four films are planned for simultaneous release in five languages.
“Dhurandhar” is already creating mayhem at the box office. Starring Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, and directed by Aditya Dhar, the film is on track to emerge as the all-time highest-grossing Hindi film in India, having already grossed over Rs 1,000 crore.
Riding high on this success, the makers are confident of delivering another massive blockbuster with the second part and have announced a March 19, 2026 release.
While the first part released only in Hindi, “Dhurandhar 2” will hit screens in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam as well.
Releasing on the same day is Yash’s “Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-ups,” which will also arrive in all five languages.
As Yash’s first film after the pan-Indian phenomenon KGF 2, expectations are sky-high. This sets up a direct pan-India clash between “Dhurandhar 2” and “Toxic.”
Despite these two heavyweights, Adivi Sesh is also entering the fray on the same day with his pan-Indian action love story “Dacoit.”
It remains to be seen whether the film will revise its release date once again. If it sticks to the current plan, its prospects outside the Telugu market could be limited.
Ram Charan’s much-awaited biggie Peddi will hit theatres worldwide a week after “Dhurandhar 2” and “Toxic.” The film has been generating strong buzz and is expected to emerge as a major blockbuster.
Overall, these four releases are set to create a festival-like atmosphere at the box office. The Ramzan–Ugadi holiday window is the key reason behind filmmakers eyeing this highly competitive period.