'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' Moves Up Release to March 19, Setting Up Box Office Clash With 'Dhurandhar 2'

The March box-office calendar has had quite the shake-up. Ustaad Bhagat Singh, the upcoming Telugu action entertainer headlined by Pawan Kalyan, will now release a week earlier than scheduled. Originally slated for March 26, the film has been moved up to March 19, setting up a direct theatrical clash with the big-budget sequel Dhurandhar: The Revenge starring Ranveer Singh.

Directed by Harish Shankar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, Ustaad Bhagat Singh has long been positioned as a major mass entertainer in the Telugu market. The film features Kalyan in the titular role alongside Sreeleela and Raashii Khanna, and carries significant expectations given the actor’s enduring fan base and the director’s track record with commercial cinema.

The sudden date shift comes after a reshuffle in the release calendar. The March 19 slot was previously occupied by Toxic, which has now been postponed to June, leaving a lucrative festival window open. Producers quickly moved to occupy the vacated date, particularly as the period coincides with regional holidays such as Ugadi and Gudi Padwa—traditionally strong weekends for theatrical footfall. The change was announced by the makers in a post on social media, where they said: “Our USTAAD arrives a week early to spark massive celebrations at the box office.”

The earlier release also means stepping into direct competition with Dhurandhar: The Revenge, the second instalment of director Aditya Dhar’s high-profile spy action franchise. The film continues the narrative of the 2025 blockbuster Dhurandhar, which emerged as one of the year’s biggest Hindi hits, and its sequel arrives with considerable momentum and a pan-India release across multiple languages.

For Ustaad Bhagat Singh, the earlier date could translate into an advantage in the Telugu-speaking markets, where Kalyan’s star power remains formidable. The film also recently announced that the renowned S. Thaman would be creating the film's background music score, and not Devi Sri Prasad (DSP), who created its high-energy soundtrack. The makers cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for bringing Thaman on board, and cleared the air in a statement on social media. This move has only increased the buzz surrounding the film, with fans eager to witness the musical genius of both artistes.