Dhurandhar 2: Experts decode paid preview strategy behind Ranveer Singh's thriller

Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar: The Revenge, directed by Aditya Dhar, is generating strong buzz ahead of its release. Industry experts note that the paid preview trend has worked for several major films in the past, and the sequel is already seeing strong audience demand.

With the countdown underway for Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge, Jio Studios appears to have made a bold move. Paid previews were announced alongside the trailer, and within minutes, theatres began showing ‘housefull’ for the shows. It has been two days since tickets went live, and, according to Sacnilk, Ranveer Singh’s film has already crossed Rs 18 crore in advance bookings, an achievement in itself.

India Today spoke to experts to understand the move by Dhurandhar 2's makers and what this trend means for the industry.

Early word-of-mouth cycle

Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, Managing Director, Miraj Entertainment Ltd, shared that paid previews are increasingly becoming a strategic tool for films today, especially when the makers are confident in the content and want to build an early word of mouth. "For Dhurandhar 2, we are planning paid preview shows across our cinemas with 205 screens, including the majority in Hindi-speaking markets and one screen each in the southern markets. The previews are scheduled a day in advance from 5 pm, giving audiences an opportunity to experience it before the main release, while helping the film build early momentum," he said.

Talking about the trend, Mendiratta added that from an exhibition standpoint, paid previews help kickstart the word-of-mouth cycle early. Once the first set of audiences watches the film and begins sharing their reactions, it naturally sparks curiosity among other moviegoers. If the feedback from these early shows is positive, it often leads to stronger advance bookings and better occupancies heading into the opening weekend.

He said, "Over the past few years, we have seen several big films use paid previews effectively. Titles like Jawan and Animal, among others, benefited from early screenings where the first audience reactions sparked online conversation and word of mouth even before the wider release."