Dhurandhar 2 Breaks Canadian Cinema Norms with First-Ever Intermission
Canadian moviegoers, accustomed to watching lengthy action films without interruption, recently experienced a novel cinematic event: a scheduled intermission. During screenings of Aditya Dhar's Bollywood blockbuster Dhurandhar: The Revenge, starring Ranveer Singh, select Cineplex theaters in Canada implemented a 15-minute interval, catching audiences completely by surprise.
Unprecedented Break in Canadian Theaters
Dhurandhar: The Revenge, the sequel to the 2025 hit Dhurandhar, boasts a runtime of nearly four hours—an exceptionally long duration for mainstream North American theaters. To accommodate this marathon viewing experience, a Cineplex theater in Canada made the unprecedented decision to include a formal intermission. This marked a significant departure from standard Canadian cinema practices, where uninterrupted screenings are the norm.
The audience's reaction to this unexpected break was captured in a video shared by Instagram user @journeywithshefali, which quickly went viral online. The clip shows viewers smiling, rising from their seats, and heading out for restroom breaks, snacks, or casual conversations, while others remained seated, amused by the novelty.
The video's text overlay reads: "Dhurandhar 2 effect (Canadian flag). The movie is four hours long, so Cineplex had an intermission, probably for the first time in its history!!!! I've never seen this in my 20+ years of living in Canada. Everyone was thrilled."
In her caption, the user elaborated: "Unlike movie theaters in India, @cineplexmovies doesn't normally have an intermission. But Dhurandhar 2 changed that!!! Many people mentioned wanting an intermission for bathroom breaks, etc., after the first movie. Cineplex delivered!! There was a 15-min intermission given due to the long runtime."
Viral Reactions and Cultural Comparisons
The video sparked widespread discussion on social media, with users from India and abroad sharing their perspectives on the "Indian-style" intermission. One commenter noted: "Apparently intermission is the culture of Indian movies, and it's the best part where the director can put his skills."
Another user reminisced: "They used to do them for every Bollywood movie in Canada in the 90s and early 2000s!! I miss it," highlighting that intermissions for Indian films were once more common in Canadian theaters but have since faded.
Some viewers advocated for adopting intermissions more broadly, with one suggesting: "I liked this concept to be introduced in every theater with a timer," indicating that the format could benefit all long films, not just Bollywood productions.
About Dhurandhar: The Revenge
Dhurandhar: The Revenge was released theatrically on March 19, 2026, following paid previews the previous day. As the direct sequel to Dhurandhar (2025), the film features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, R Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi, Arjun Rampal, and Sanjay Dutt in lead roles. It has emerged as a major box-office success overseas, particularly in Canada and North America, where its unique intermission strategy has further amplified its cultural impact.
This innovative approach by Cineplex not only enhanced viewer comfort during the extended runtime but also revived a nostalgic element of Bollywood cinema for diaspora audiences, blending traditional Indian cinematic practices with contemporary Canadian theater operations.
