Bollywood
Top 5 Indian Films With Longest Theatrical Runtime: Dhurandhar 2 Joins The Rank
BY SACNILK
Mumbai, March 12 - Indian cinema has often pushed the boundaries of storytelling with ambitious runtimes, especially when it comes to epic dramas and large-scale productions. Over the decades, several films have crossed the three-hour mark, but only a handful have gone far beyond that to become some of the longest theatrical releases in Indian film history. Over the last few years, several Indian films have crossed 3 hours of runtime, and a couple of them even went on to rank among the longest films ever. The upcoming sequel Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge has reportedly joined this rare list with its massive runtime of nearly 4 hours, which is almost unheard of for an Indian title in recent times. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) 1. LOC: Kargil (2003) J. P. Dutta's epic historical war film, based on the Kargil War, is the longest Indian film with a theatrical runtime of 4 hours and 15 minutes (255 minutes). Released in December 2023, the film featured a massive ensemble cast including Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, and Sunil Shetty, among others. 2. Mera Naam Joker (1970) Directed and headlined by Raj Kapoor, the epic romantic drama film has gained a cult status over the years despite being a theatrical flop. It remained the longest Indian theatrical title for over 3 decades, with 4 hours and 8 minutes (248 minutes). The movie also starred Simi Garewal, Kseniya Ryabinkina, Padmini, Manoj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Dharmendra, and Dara Singh. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) 3. Sangam (1964) One of the first films to be shot abroad in locations including London, Paris and Switzerland, Sangam is a romantic musical drama, directed and headlined by Raj Kapoor. With a theatrical runtime of 3 hours and 58 minutes (238 minutes), it was the longest film before Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker. It also featured Vyjayanthimala and Rajendra Kumar. 4. Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge (2026) Directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, Dhurandhar 2 is the second part of the massive blockbuster Dhurandhar, which was released in December last year. Scheduled to hit the big screens on March 19, The Revenge reportedly carries a theatrical runtime of 3 hours and 49 minutes (229 minutes), which is mindboggling to think in today's time. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) 5. Lagaan (2001) The Aamir Khan-fronted period sports drama had a runtime of 3 hours and 44 minutes (224 minutes). Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, the film also featured Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne in key roles. It was reportedly the costliest Indian film at the time of its release. Stay tuned...
