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Dhurandhar: The Revenge Draws Massive OTT Audience as Live Premiere Backlash and Edits Become Focal Points

The film’s JioHotstar launch drove unusually large connected‑TV co‑viewing and raised questions about dubbed dialogue and a renamed character that remove explicit political references.

Overview

  • JioHotstar staged a live premiere on June 4 before switching the title to regular streaming on June 5, and the platform said the film reached 50 million viewers in its opening weekend.
  • JioHotstar reported that 60% of the film’s watch time came from connected‑TV devices, signaling heavy household co‑viewing on large screens.
  • Independent measurement firm Ormax estimated a 12.8 million Indian debut‑week audience, highlighting a gap between platform‑issued metrics and third‑party counts.
  • Online users and outlets identified specific editorial changes in the OTT ‘Raw & Undekha’ cut, including a re‑dubbed Punjabi line that removed an explicit 1984 riots reference and a character rename that removed an apparent Khalistani alias.
  • The combined effects of a multi‑platform rollout, strong box‑office returns, and these editorial choices have fueled debate over creative control, political sensitivity and how streaming platforms measure and present viewership.