'Dumbest idea of all time': Internet fumes as JioHotstar livestreams Dhurandhar The Revenge ‘like TV’ for OTT premiere

FOr people eager to observe Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar The retaliate from the solace of their homes, the take’s June 4 debut on JioHotstar seemed the likes of a reason to celebrate. But the excitement was short-lived. Soon after the release, social media was flooded with complaints from disgruntled viewers who realised that the platform was live-streaming the film.Frustrated viewers took to social media, claiming the format stripped away one of the biggest perks of an OTT release -- the freedom to watch on their own schedule – and dampened the overall viewing experience.Social media users fumeAditya Dhar’s spy thriller made its digital debut in India on JioHotstar on June 4, with the platform opting for a live-streaming format for the premiere. However, the film has been made available for regular streaming from June 5.One social media user wrote, “Hotstar is streaming Dhurandhar 2 in a live format, no OTT is as embarrassing as this one”, with another stating, “They streamed #Dhurandhar2 live as if it is some cricket match. When you click watch live, it says live stream has ended. First in my bloodline to witness a movie streamed live.”“@JioHotstar which drunken monkey thought live streaming Dhurandhar the revenge was a wise idea? And post live stream, the movie isn’t available. WTF,” one posted.Another post read, “ @JioHotstar totally hopeless experience watching dhurandhar 2. You are forcing us to watch live if paused and come back, doesn't appear where we left. Real headache.”“OK, this is really weird. I was just checking #jiohotstar, there is no dhurandhar 2. Turns out it was a live stream. What kind of brain dead strategy is this? Its like milk the audience as much as you can,” one mentioned, with another writing, “@JioHotstar why tf #jiohotstar is showing #Dhurandhar2‌TheRevenge live on their platform..?? Are you literally insane..?? Why do your OTT platforms keep judging the patience of Indian viewers in India. @AdityaDharFilms sir why did you opt for Hotstar.”“Livestreaming a movie on an OTT platform. Dumbest idea of all time. Whoever came up with this idea needs to be fired,” one wrote. Another comment read, “@JioHotstar could’ve simply released #Dhurandhar2‌TheRevenge as it is without the drama of this live streaming premiere and people could’ve enjoyed it. Now there are 2 things that will happen: 1. People who did not watch the movie starting 7PM will be unable to watch it in its entirety till the premiere ends. Anybody who watches the live streaming premiere will have to watch it with commentary breaks, ruining the actual movie experience.”“@JioHotstar Shame on you , we eagerly waited for premiere of #Dhurandhar2‌TheRevenge …. You destroyed the whole joy,” one comment read. One social media user wrote, “Why tf is Dhurandhar 2 live streaming on Hotstar? Just release the goddamn movie like a normal ott platform.Who had this stupid idea to live stream it like a TV. Why does s**t like this only happen in India.” About DhurandharDhurandhar was released in theatres on December 5, 2025, and Dhurandhar 2 on March 19 this year. Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera, and Danish Pandor star in the two films. The first film collected ₹1307 crore worldwide, while the sequel has grossed over ₹1790 crore.The films tell the story of Jaskirat Singh Rangi, alias Hamza Ali Mazari, sent to Lyari in Pakistan to bring down a terror unit. He infiltrates a Baloch gang, marries the daughter of a Lyari politician and integrates into the society there to do this.While the films were praised for their slick narrative, many complained that they seemed to glorify the BJP administration while downplaying the achievements of previous governments. This led to the propaganda charge. Following this, several celebrities from Anupam Kher to Piyush Mishra, came forward to defend the film.Some time back, Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios, one of the producers of the film, hinted at a surprise related to the movie, expected to be unveiled later this year. In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, she said, “We’re not done with Dhurandhar yet. We’ll hopefully have a surprise for the audience later this year. There’s something up our sleeves.” The statement has left fans guessing what it could be. Dhurandhar The Revenge was released on Netflix internationally last month.