As the film prepares for its delayed Indian release tomorrow, Thursday, 26 March, it has hit a massive roadblock: IMAX screen allocation.
The "Hamza" Hold 🖐️
The unprecedented success of Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge has created a logistical nightmare for Hollywood distributors.
The Occupancy Factor: Even on its seventh day, Dhurandhar 2 is reporting 80–90% occupancy in premium formats across major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore.
The Refusal: Theatre owners are reportedly hesitant to part with their IMAX and 4DX slots for the Ryan Gosling-starrer, fearing a loss in revenue given the "rampage" the Bollywood spy thriller is currently on.
The Runtime Issue: With Dhurandhar 2 clocking in at nearly four hours, there are already fewer show slots available per day, making the fight for premium screens even more cutthroat.
The Directors Break Silence: "How Dare You?" 😂
In a viral interview with Hindustan Times, the directors of Project Hail Mary, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, reacted to the Indian delay and the screen crunch with a touch of wit.
The Joke: Referring to the fact that their film had to move its release date specifically to avoid the Dhurandhar storm, Phil Lord joked: "How dare you have your own successful film industry?"
The Respect: On a more serious note, they acknowledged that the global movie business is healthier when local productions thrive. They noted that Indian cinema's "cultural relevance" in the US is at an all-time high following the RRR phenomenon.
The "Hail Mary" Strategy 🚀
Sony Pictures India is not backing down, banking on the "Event Cinema" status of the Andy Weir adaptation.
Multilingual Push: To counter the domestic competition, Project Hail Mary is getting a massive wide release in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
The "Science" Hook: While Dhurandhar 2 offers high-octane action, Project Hail Mary is being marketed as a "heartfelt space adventure" for the Interstellar and The Martian fanbase.
The IMAX Compromise: Early reports suggest that from tomorrow, many IMAX properties will split their schedules—giving the morning and afternoon slots to Ryan Gosling, while keeping the prime-time evening and night shows for the "Hamza" fever.
SantaBanta Verdict:
It’s rare to see a Hollywood tentpole "scared" of a Bollywood release, but 2026 is proving that Indian cinema is now playing on a different level. Project Hail Mary is a 10/10 sci-fi epic that needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible, but with Dhurandhar 2 eyeing the ₹1,000 crore mark this weekend, Ryan Gosling might have to settle for "co-existing" rather than "conquering" in the Indian market.
