India’s longest epic arrives: Can viewers sit through Dhurandhar’s 7½-hour marathon?

In an unprecedented move for Indian cinema, Dhurandhar is gearing up for a 7-hour-30-minute director's cut , sending ripples of excitement and curiosity through the film industry. The makers, in collaboration with Jio Studios, are expected to make an official announcement soon, confirming plans for this extraordinary release.

Directed by Aditya Dhar , the National Award-winning filmmaker behind Uri: The Surgical Strike , Dhurandhar is a spy action thriller starring Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Rampal. The film follows an undercover Indian intelligence agent who infiltrates Karachi's criminal syndicates and political power structures in Pakistan, in a bid to dismantle a terror network targeting India. Originally conceived as a single feature, the scale of the narrative led Dhar to split it into a two-part duology, with Part 1 releasing in December 2025 and Part 2, Dhurandhar: The Revenge , arriving on 19 March 2026.

The proposed director's cut would now reunite both parts into a single, uninterrupted cinematic experience. Unlike typical releases, this extended version won't see a standard wide theatrical run. Instead, it will be showcased exclusively on premium formats such as IMAX, Dolby Cinema, HDR, and EPIQ screens , delivering the film in its full, uncompromised form, exactly as Dhar envisioned it.

Adding significance to the release, the CBFC has already issued a fresh certificate for this combined cut. Notably, it is being described as uncensored , meaning violent visuals and dialogue that were trimmed from both parts during their original certifications will be restored. Both films had received 'A' certificates only after undergoing modifications mandated by the board. The director's cut, it appears, will present Aditya Dhar's vision without those alterations, making it not just longer, but rawer than what audiences experienced in theatres.

If it releases as planned, this cut will make Dhurandhar the longest Indian theatrical film in modern cinema history , surpassing all previous epics in runtime and setting a new benchmark for ambitious storytelling in the country.

Yet, the biggest question looms large: can audiences truly sit through a film that runs over seven hours? While the global cinematic landscape has occasionally experimented with ultra-long features, such lengths are virtually unheard of in Indian theatres. The extended runtime introduces challenges around viewer engagement, interval structuring, and overall audience endurance.

At the same time, the venture signals a bold shift in storytelling, especially in an era where OTT platforms and long-form series dominate attention spans. If executed with finesse, this director's cut could redefine the very cinematic experience in India, elevating theatre-going to something akin to a marathon storytelling event .

Whether viewers will embrace this epic experiment or shy away from it, one thing is certain: Dhurandhar is set to push the boundaries of Indian cinema like never before. The question now is not just about the mission or the men behind it, but whether audiences are ready for a seven-and-a-half-hour journey on the big screen.