Ass Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel starrer ‘Gadar’ has completed 25 years since its release, the actress has sparked a debate among film buffs about her box office woes. On X (formerly Twitter), Ameesha shared screenshots of publicly available data to confirm that the ‘Gadar’ franchise attracted more moviegoers than the film ‘Dhurandhar’. Describing herself as fortunate to have been a part of such an important cinematic journey, the actor highlighted the figures that compared the audience participation of the two franchises across their theaters.
how Ameesha Patel compared the numbers
According to details shared by Ameesha, the original ‘Gadar’ released in 2001 reportedly registered more than 50 million feet in India. The sequel ‘Gadar 2’, which hit theaters in 2023, is estimated to have collected 34 to 34.5 million tickets.The figures mentioned in his post also mentioned that the first part of “Dhurandhar” generated approximately 32.2 to 35.6 million footfalls at home, while “Dhurandhar 2” crossed the 43 million mark. Using these numbers, Ameesha reiterated her belief that the combined audience attendance of ‘Gadar’ films remains unmatched.
Sakeen’s legacy
In a recent interaction, the actor spoke about the enduring popularity of his character Sakeena and revealed that the film continues to receive love from audiences across borders. Recalling the reactions she received over the years, Ameesha said, “Kya Ameesha ji, Pakistan ko apne rula diya, Sakina ne rula diya” (Ameesha ji, you made Pakistan emotional; Sakina made Pakistan emotional).He also shared that several parents have named their daughters Sakeena after the character, which he believes is one of the hardest outcomes of the film’s success.Discussing the audience response to the franchise, Ameesha reflected on what the foot figures mean to her. “Gadar 1 and Gadar 2 (combined) have the highest footfall, more than Dhurandhar 1 and 2. By foot alone, that means the number of people who have actually entered theaters to watch both films is very gratifying and to feel like I am a part of cinema history, to be privileged, to be blessed.“For the actor, the numbers are less about competing and more about the love that audiences have shown the story for generations.
A franchise that continues to resonate
Directed by Anil Sharma, ‘Gadar’ was set against the backdrop of Partition and followed the love story of Tara Singh and Sakeena. The film became one of the defining blockbusters of its time and remains deeply embedded in popular culture.More than two decades later, ‘Gadar 2’ revived the franchise for a new generation, once again drawing audiences to theaters and reaffirming the enduring appeal of Tara Singh and Sakeena’s story.
