Not many would have predicted Ranveer Singh to end 2025 with the biggest Indian film of the year, breaking records set by Shah Rukh Khan, SS Rajamouli, and Rajinikanth at the box office. But that’s what the man did. The fact that this triumph came after a couple of years when he was ridiculed, bashed, and even trolled for something or the other. That a man who started the year as everyone’s favourite punching bag ends it as the box office king is the redemption arc every Hindi film fan likes. As he gears up for more mayhem in 2026 with Dhurandhar 2 and Pralay, it seems like the prodigal son has returned.
Setting the narrative straight
Days before Dhurandhar was to release, Ranveer saw himself in the middle of a controversy as his mimicry of Rishab Shetty from Kantara fell foul of many from Karnataka, who saw it as disrespectful towards the daivas of coastal Karnataka. Even as Ranveer apologised through a statement, many social media posts called for a boycott of the film. The narrative was that the film may be good or well-intentioned, but Ranveer ‘needed to be put in his place’. This narrative of being the enfant terrible of Bollywood has followed Ranveer for long. But none of that damaged the film. Dhurandhar started well, and then by Monday, started breaking records left, right and centre. And even as everybody went crazy for Akshaye Khanna’s Rehman Dakait act, Ranveer garnered praise too. His performance and hard work were never in question. But in Dhurandhar, the audience said he showed what he can do when he pushes himself to the limit.
In many frames in Dhurandhar, despite being the hero, Ranveer played second fiddle to Akshaye Khanna. Ram Gopal Varma praised director Aditya Dhar for that choice in his review of the film, but also appreciated Ranveer for letting that happen, no ego or starry frills. As Saumya Tandon, their co-star from the film, told Radio City, “Being a superstar, being a hero. He’s standing behind and giving the stage to Akshaye to do all those nuances. He’s very subtly standing behind as an actor and staying silent. I think it’s the sign of a very mature artist.” This set the narrative straight for Ranveer, enabling his transformation as a problem child to secure, mature artist.
Ranveer Singh, the superstar?
Animal’s success two years ago had people saying that Ranbir Kapoor had established himself as the biggest star of his generation. When Chhaava became a blockbuster earlier this year, Vicky Kaushal was bracketed alongside him. Ranveer, as he was losing films and not seeing box office success, was relegated to memes. The others have moved ahead, they said. But Dhurandhar helped him change the narrative again. Now, the same meme pages are calling Ranbir, Ranveer, and Vicky the new Khans.
Most people are now agreeing with what his Simmba and Cirkus director Rohit Shetty had told Ranveer Allahabadia last year, “He doesn’t think about anything else when he is at work, and that’s what I like about him. He is the next superstar. He has almost become a superstar. But now, who’s next? That is Ranveer Singh.”