Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has weighed in on the much-anticipated box office clash between Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups and Dhurandhar: The Revenge, saying the showdown is not about North versus South, but about how filmmakers perceive their audience.
Both big-budget films are set to release on March 19, setting the stage for one of the biggest cinematic face-offs of the year. Taking to X, Varma dismissed the regional angle often attached to such clashes. Instead, he described it as a “brutal clash between two cultures of cinema.”
According to him, the core difference lies in intent. Varma argued that Dhurandhar respects the intelligence of viewers, while Toxic relies more on spectacle and larger-than-life hero worship. Without naming either team directly in criticism, he contrasted grounded storytelling and emotionally driven performances with gravity-defying action, loud background scores and heavy visual effects.
Referring to box office numbers of the first Dhurandhar film, he claimed its global success proved that audiences appreciate layered narratives and complex characters. He suggested that the upcoming sequel now stands as the underdog against Toxic’s scale and grandeur.
Dhurandhar: The Revenge, directed by Aditya Dhar, stars Ranveer Singh in the lead role. Meanwhile, Toxic, helmed by Geetu Mohandas, marks Yash’s return after KGF: Chapter 2.
Varma concluded that March 19 will reveal what today’s audiences truly prefer high-voltage spectacle or thoughtful storytelling.
