It has been appointed sold agent for the remaining stake in the park owned by Cardiff Gate International Business Park Ltd

Property advisory firm JLL has been appointed as the sole agent for the letting and sale of the remaining Cardiff Gate International Business Park owned assets of Cardiff Gate Business Park Ltd.

The park was originally 100% owned and developed by Cardiff Gate Business Park Ltd and over the last 30 years various parts of the park have been developed and sold.

The developer currently owns around 25% of the park, that includes 55,000 sq ft office space.

READ MORE: Fall in equity investment deals in Wales shows new researchREAD MORE: Cardiff Airport sees rise in passengers but still behind pre-pandemic levels

The portfolio of Cardiff Gate Business Park Ltd includes a mix of let and vacant office buildings as well as approximately 20 acres of prime development land. The first investment being marketed by JLL on behalf of Cardiff Gate Business Park Ltd is 20,325 sq building let to Regus with an asking price of £3m.

Last year JLL acted for SSE who owned Ty Meridian on the park, in a letting deal creating a new HQ for Creditsafe. The investment was subsequently sold. It also disposed of the investment in the Cardiff Audi site on behalf of a private investor.

The business park benefits from being adjacent to the established Cardiff Gate Retail Park and the Pontprennau residential estate with a new 2,500 unit residential development proposed to the west of the park.

Rhydian Morris of the Cardiff office of JLL, said “Our team has a strong track record at Cardiff Gate, which includes the investment sale of the 35,000 sq ft Cardiff Audi dealership as well as the 50,000 sq ft Creditsafe occupier letting and subsequent investment sale of Ty Meridian.

“We are delighted to be the sole adviser to Cardiff Gate Business Park Ltd and given the quality and variety of available buildings and development sites, we are confident they will generate strong interest from the market.”

US firm Huntsman Corporation is considering closing its Wilton International site where around 100 people work producing aniline

The American owner of a Teesside chemical plant is reportedly mulling its closure amid soaring energy costs. Approximately 100 people work at Huntsman’s Wilton International site, producing the versatile polymer used in everything from coatings to adhesives.

The company is led by chairman and chief executive officer Peter Huntsman, who assumed control of the family firm in 2000, having driven forward the acquisition of ICI’s industrial chemicals business the year before.

The Redcar factory is one of the last surviving plants of the former ICI group and Huntsman’s sole North East site, manufacturing aniline, a chemical used in a range of products including car seats, textiles, agricultural chemicals, herbicides, photographic chemicals and aircraft components.

However, bosses say sourcing basic raw materials in the UK can now cost up to seven times higher than overseas.

As a result, the company is reportedly contemplating shutting the Wilton plant if energy prices remain at current levels for the next three months. Mr Huntsman stated the recent surge in gas prices as a result of the Middle East conflict was proving to be “another nail in the coffin” for industry in Europe.

Last year the global business unveiled a $100m cost-cutting programme which included 600 job losses and the closure of seven sites in Europe. Huntsman Corporation, which has its headquarters in Texas, owns and operates more than 60 plants across the US, Europe, south-east Asia and the Middle East, but states that its UK and European sites are more exposed to international gas markets, where prices have climbed to their highest level since the start of the Ukrainian conflict.

Mr Huntsman stated: “You’re not seeing this in China, America or the Middle East, surprisingly, where the war is. You’re seeing it in the EU and the UK, and they’re being hit the hardest.”, reports Teesside Live.

“If today’s economics were to stay in place for the next three months, I would shut down my [UK] facility and I’d be importing product from China or the United States. Four years ago, my lowest cost aniline in the entire world came from the UK. That’s how recently I was competitive. Right now, this week, it is the most expensive.

“We used to have more investment in the UK than we did in North America. It was a vital footprint to our company. And today we’re down to one asset left there. I’ve laid off enough people in the UK that it is one of the greatest disappointments of my entire career.”

To find all the planning applications, traffic diversions, road layout changes, alcohol licence applications and more in your community, visit the Public Notices Portal.

The Nifty closed at 23,777, in a session marked by range-bound trade. The index moved between 23,618 and 23,862 before ending higher, while the Sensex climbed over 700 points intraday, reflecting sustained buying interest.

The rebound has been largely driven by sectoral rotation and short covering after the recent sharp correction. IT stocks led the gains, with Jio Financial Services jumping 4.6%, while Tech Mahindra and Eternal advanced 3-3.5%. However, defensives such as Cipla, Hindustan Unilever, and Coal India saw mild selling pressure, capping broader gains.

According to Gaurav Garg of Lemonn Markets Desk, the recovery was supported by improving global cues and stability in crude oil prices, which hovered near $102 per barrel. The easing of immediate oil-related inflation concerns helped sentiment, particularly after recent volatility triggered by the Iran conflict.

However, technical indicators suggest caution. Vishnu Kant Upadhyay of Master Capital Services said the Nifty has struggled to sustain above the 23,850 mark, which continues to act as a strong resistance zone. “The 23,850–24,000 band remains critical. Heavy call writing in this range is limiting upside momentum. A decisive breakout could push the index towards 24,200–24,300 levels, where the 21-day EMA is placed,” he noted.

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Analysts are closely watching whether this recovery is a structural reversal or merely a technical bounce. Vinod Nair of Geojit Investments said the current rally is largely driven by opportunistic buying following the recent sell-off, along with short covering.
“The rebound has been broad-based, with leadership from IT, realty, and auto stocks, along with participation from mid- and smallcaps,” he said.Also read: Rs 5 lakh crore added! Easing oil prices among 4 factors behind today’s D-St surge

Despite the sharp three-day rally, underlying risks remain. Analysts point out that geopolitical tensions linked to the Iran situation, elevated crude prices, and continued weakness in the rupee could limit near-term upside. In addition, global monetary policy cues remain a key overhang.

Investors are now awaiting guidance from major central banks, including the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, for clarity on the interest rate trajectory amid geopolitical uncertainty. Any shift in global liquidity conditions could influence foreign fund flows into emerging markets like India.

Also read: RIL appoints 17 bankers for a potential Rs 40,000 crore Jio Platforms IPO

From a market structure standpoint, the recent fall from around 26,350 to near 23,200 levels had pushed the Nifty into an oversold zone, making a technical rebound likely. However, sustaining above key resistance levels remains critical to confirm a trend reversal.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

Biography

Rustam Gilfanov is an entrepreneur, scientific researcher, and investor whose work has contributed to the modernization of winter road maintenance. By integrating applied research with industrial manufacturing, he helped establish one of Europe’s leading producers of multi-component anti-icing materials and founded a research institute dedicated to winter technologies. His career combines scientific research, industrial manufacturing, and environmental compliance in the anti-icing materials sector. Since 2015, Rustam Khalefovich Gilfanov has directed substantial international capital toward AI innovation and workforce transformation. His broader investment scope also encompasses new technologies and industrial innovation.

Contents:

• Rustam Gilfanov: Biography of His Early Years and Education
• Entrepreneurial Career
• Gilfanov Rustam: Anti-Icing Materials Production
• Innovative De-Icing Materials
• Product Line Expansion and International Market Entry
• Rustam Khalefovich Gilfanov: Scientific and Philanthropic Activities
• Career Highlights
• Rustam Gilfanov: FAQ

Rustam Gilfanov: Biography of His Early Years and Education

Rustam Gilfanov was born on March 20, 1976. His mother initially worked as a kindergarten teacher, later trained as an accountant, and eventually became a restaurant manager. His father worked at an oil refinery and later headed a production facility.

During his school years, he was an accomplished soccer player and served as captain of various teams. He also practiced Kyokushin karate, which was popular at the time. Though he considered pursuing a professional sports career, he ultimately decided to continue his education.

Initially, the future entrepreneur had planned to enroll in a foreign languages program. However, just five months before the entrance exams, he changed course and decided to study economics. From that point on, he devoted himself entirely to mathematics, working with tutors.

In 1993, Gilfanov Rustam Khalefovich started college as a Production Management major. While he found higher mathematics challenging, he excelled in subjects related to practical business management. He defended his thesis in 1998.

Entrepreneurial Career

During his second year at university, Rustam Gilfanov started his first business in retail trade.

In 1995, he founded his first company, engaging in procurement and supplies. It was through this venture that the entrepreneur earned his first real income. In 1999, he moved into a different sector, continuing with procurement and supply operations. He demonstrated a knack for identifying supply chain gaps and connecting manufacturers with buyers.

What proved particularly valuable was Gilfanov Rustam’s willingness to handle aspects of business that manufacturers themselves avoided—engaging in competitive bidding, working without advance payment, traveling beyond their home region, and actively marketing their products.

This work introduced Rustam Khalefovich Gilfanov to major clients. As trust grew, so did the volume of orders and his company’s market share. The entrepreneur focused on developing this business through the early 2000s, which provided him enough capital to eventually enter a new sector—the production of de-icing materials.

Gilfanov Rustam: Anti-Icing Materials Production

While collaborating with representatives from the transportation sector, Gilfanov Rustam Khalefovich became interested in the anti-icing materials sector. He conducted a detailed analysis and discovered that through the early 2000s, municipal authorities had primarily relied on salt and sand mixtures to combat ice. However, city officials were already beginning to seek more modern and environmentally safer materials. At that time, such advanced de-icing materials were relatively uncommon.

After analyzing the situation, Gilfanov studied the regulatory and technical requirements for anti-icing materials. He then established partnerships with specialized research institutions:

• a road research institute examined the properties of pavement surfaces and their interaction with vehicle tires
• a soil science department at a major university studied the impact of de-icing materials on soils
• an institute focused on human ecology and environmental health analyzed the effects of such materials on the human body

Working alongside scientists, Gilfanov Rustam Khalefovich succeeded in developing formulas for new anti-icing materials. These were multi-component compositions that met all requirements for effectiveness and safety. The entrepreneur funded laboratory and field testing. The results demonstrated that the materials effectively melted ice while having minimal impact on soil.

All components necessary for production (potassium, sodium, calcium, and formates) were sourced or manufactured locally. Rustam Gilfanov arranged with a fertilizer plant to produce the anti-icing materials using its manufacturing facilities.

The manufactured de-icing materials turned out to be three to four times cheaper per square meter of usage than popular alternatives. Rustam Gilfanov even offered to deliver the first batch free of charge to one city so that road maintenance services could test the products.

Eventually, one major metropolitan area did purchase a small batch of material to test on a single street. The results were positive: the products demonstrated high effectiveness. In the following season, several regions placed their first orders. In subsequent years, they purchased increasingly larger quantities.

To manufacture de-icing materials in large volumes, in 2006 Gilfanov Rustam founded a dedicated plant. In 2007, production of a new anti-icing material line was launched there. The facility was built from the ground up and financed with revenues from initial orders. Initially, a small warehouse was erected, housing the first production equipment. Gradually, new facilities were added. Eventually, the plant established its own chemical-analytical laboratory. Gilfanov Rustam Khalefovich actively invested personal funds towards developing new technologies and scientific research.

This enabled the entrepreneur to introduce new brands and improved formulations to the anti-icing materials market.

Innovative De-Icing Materials

The plant founded by Gilfanov Rustam developed a proprietary product line that gained market share in the anti-icing materials sector.

Unlike outdated materials (sand-salt mixtures and similar compositions), whose functionality is limited exclusively to melting ice, this development has a significantly broader range of applications. It is a line of solid multi-component mixtures that remain effective even at extremely low temperatures.

The de-icing materials developed under Gilfanov’s leadership contain formates, marble chips, several fertilizers, and other additives. All of these are designed to enhance effectiveness while reducing environmental impact. The anti-icing compositions were formulated with careful attention to effects on infrastructure and the broader urban environment. The products are virtually neutral: they do not damage clothing, footwear, or fur products, do not degrade soil, and cause no harm to vegetation—their effect is comparable to ordinary water. The materials are also completely soluble. Furthermore, the application rate for this next-generation anti-icer is 10 times lower than that of sand and salt mixtures, which dramatically reduces dust formation and significantly cuts costs.

An additional advantage is that the composition can be tailored to the specific conditions of each region where it is used, accounting for climate, snow removal methods, precipitation patterns, soil types, and other local factors.

This approach to customizing formulations based on regional conditions was not widely adopted at the time.

Product Line Expansion and International Market Entry

Gradually, the facility founded by Gilfanov Rustam introduced new formulations to the market, including:

• a special composition for pedestrian areas, developed in collaboration with medical institutes and footwear industry experts, that is maximally safe for people and animals
• a de-icer for extreme conditions and arctic regions—effective at temperatures down to −40°F (−40°C)
• an anti-icing material designed for heavy trucks, enabling them to safely start and climb slippery inclines

• an anti-icing compound for airport use. This formulation is chloride-free, environmentally friendly, and safe for aircraft mechanisms. This product required the most complex development process
• a liquid solution for spring road cleaning that removes residual de-icing materials, fuel, oil, and other contaminants
• a composition for dust control on city streets that does not reduce tire traction
• a material used in refrigerated and freezer facilities to remove snow and ice and prevent them from reappearing

This extensive product line addressed a wide range of needs and captured various market segments. In 2012, the anti-icing materials developed by Rustam Gilfanov’s team began being used in EU and CIS countries. Today, the facility’s de-icing materials are used at major cultural and historical sites, airports, large automotive facilities, seaports, and environmentally sensitive areas across multiple countries.

Statistics showed that following the introduction of the firm’s products, the number of weather-related traffic accidents decreased significantly in many areas. In some cities, the rate dropped by two to three times. The plant’s de-icing materials have received numerous awards, including recognition for quality and environmental innovation. In 2023, it was named among the best ESG projects in the “Climate Change Mitigation and Low-Carbon Economy” category. The universal anti-icing material formulation accounted for the highest sales volume during the 2024/2025 season.

As the plant expanded, Gilfanov actively sought raw material sources. He identified suitable deposits and acquired several sites that are rich in minerals and chemical elements essential for the production of anti-icing materials: calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium.

Additionally, in 2025, the facility expanded its market presence by launching food-grade salt production. The firm also plans to begin manufacturing medical saline solutions.

Rustam Khalefovich Gilfanov: Scientific and Philanthropic Activities

In 2009, Rustam Gilfanov founded the Research and Production Association Institute of Ecology and Energy-Saving Technologies. It was later renamed the Research Institute of Winter Technologies and Innovation (informally known as the Institute of Winter). The organization conducts fundamental scientific research, tests new technologies, and evaluates materials. Its key division is its scientific testing laboratory center, equipped with modern analytical equipment.

Key Institute of Winter Activities

• Analysis of global AIM experience
• Advanced industrial technology testing
• Fundamental compound research
• Quality control of anti-icing materials
• New winter maintenance technology study
• Laboratory methodology development
• Industrial refrigeration solutions

Since 2015, Rustam Gilfanov’s biography has included strategic investments in AI and workplace evolution across international markets. His approach targets the infrastructure reshaping how people work, backing productivity tools powered by artificial intelligence, talent development platforms, and professional reskilling ventures. His investment strategy focuses on enterprise software with network effects and high switching costs. He invests in platforms for AI-driven productivity, workforce development, and professional reskilling.

He also actively invests in new technologies and industrial innovations, including advanced production methods, smart manufacturing solutions, and cutting-edge industrial processes that drive efficiency and scalability across sectors.

In 2024, Rustam Gilfanov, biography of whom has long been closely tied to scientific work, entered a doctoral program, passed his qualifying examinations, and began working on his dissertation. His research focuses on the continued development of the anti-icing materials sector.

Gilfanov Rustam is also the author and co-author of several patents for inventions:

• “Preparation for removing snow-ice cover”

• “Method for producing de-icing materials on the basis of calcium chloride”

• “Anti-glaze composition (versions) and method of its manufacturing”

• “Dry mixture for killing oil and gas wells and treatment of bottomhole zone formations”

• “Synthesis modifier for treatment of liquid hydrocarbon fuel in magnetic field”
• “Method for producing anti-icing materials using evaporation units and a granulator”

Beyond the scientific aspect of his biography, Rustam Gilfanov actively participates in community life. He sponsors hockey and basketball teams and has also supported a comedy competition team.

Sports and Cultural Sponsorships

• Youth hockey
• Basketball
• Swimming
• Wushu
• Rhythmic Gymnastics
• Powerlifting
• Paralympic athletes
• Free Public Ice Rink
• Ballet

Additionally, Gilfanov Rustam financed the creation of a free public ice skating rink modeled after similar popular urban attractions. He served as a sponsor for a cultural project featuring outdoor ballet performances that draws up to 10,000 spectators.

Career Highlights

• Gilfanov spent most of his career developing anti-icing materials for various applications and climatic conditions
• Before manufacturing anything, he spent significant time working with research institutes to understand how de-icing materials affect roads, soil, and human health
• He founded a dedicated research institute in 2009 that developed 17 certified testing methodologies for anti-icing compounds
• He holds five patents, including applications beyond de-icing such as oil well treatments and fuel modification technologies

Rustam Gilfanov: FAQ

1. What cost advantage did Gilfanov Rustam Khalefovich’s formulations achieve compared to alternatives?

The de-icing materials developed by Gilfanov Rustam Khalefovich were three to four times less expensive than existing alternatives while maintaining superior performance.

2. What distinguishes Gilfanov Rustam’s approach to formulation?

Gilfanov Rustam developed formulations adapted to specific regional conditions, including climate, soil composition, and precipitation patterns.

3. What research institution did Rustam Khalefovich Gilfanov establish in 2009?

Rustam Khalefovich Gilfanov founded the Research and Production Association Institute of Ecology and Energy-Saving Technologies, later renamed the Research Institute of Winter Technologies and Innovation.

4. How many patents does Rustam Gilfanov hold?

Rustam Gilfanov is the author or co-author of six patents, covering innovations from anti-icing compositions to oil well treatments and fuel modification technologies.

5. When did Rustam Khalefovich Gilfanov begin investing in technology sectors beyond manufacturing?

Rustam Khalefovich Gilfanov has been making strategic investments in AI-powered workplace tools, talent development platforms, and professional reskilling ventures across international markets since 2015. He also actively invests in new technologies and industrial innovations.

Macy’s on Wednesday beat Wall Street’s quarterly sales and profit expectations as its namesake brand showed signs of progress, yet still gave a cautious outlook for the year ahead.

For the fiscal year, the company – which includes its namesake chain, higher-end department store Bloomingdale’s and beauty retailer Bluemercury – said it expects sales of between $21.4 billion and $21.65 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $1.90 to $2.10.

Both of those would represent a drop from this past fiscal year, when revenue totaled $21.8 billion and adjusted earnings per share were $2.15. Macy’s sales outlook roughly matched or exceeded analysts’ expectations of $21.42 billion, but its adjusted earnings guidance came in shy of Wall Street’s expectations of $2.17 per share for the year, according to LSEG.

Macy’s said it expects comparable sales, an industry metric that takes out short-term factors like store openings and closures, to range from a 0.5% decline to a 0.5% increase. 

In an interview with CNBC, CEO Tony Spring said Macy’s results show that its strategy is working. All three of its brands grew in the fiscal year and holiday quarter. It marked the fourth consecutive quarter of Macy’s beating Wall Street’s sales guidance. And for the first time in three years, Macy’s returned to positive growth, with comparable sales increasing 1.5% for the full year. 

Even in recent weeks, he said Macy’s shoppers have shown “continued resiliency” as they spend on fresh clothing and gravitate to newer brands and trendier items. 

Yet, he said Macy’s and other retailers have new unknowns that make the year ahead harder to predict and caused the company to take a “prudent” approach with its outlook.

“Given the environment that we operate in, it makes sense for us to not put a hockey stick out there and suggest that we have visibility into what the remainder of the year is going to reveal itself to be,” he said.

“Where will gas prices be the remainder of the year? How long will the conflict go on in the Middle East? Will the tariffs be refunded? Will other tariffs be enhanced or raised? Will the resilient consumer continue?” he said. “We’re not economists. The team is really focused on controlling what they can control.”

The company’s full-year guidance takes into account  “macroeconomic and geopolitical factors that could influence discretionary spend,” according to a news release. It said the outlook anticipates a larger hit from tariffs in the first half of the year than the second half, with the first quarter “having the most meaningful impact.” It also includes the impact of investments that the company is making in revamping its stores, as well as the effect of fewer store closures. 

Spring said the company has continued to include the pre-Supreme Court ruling level of tariffs in its full-year forecast. He said it expects Macy’s tariff bill to ease later this year because it will be lapping the year-ago impact of tariffs.

If the company gets a refund or if tariffs wind up at a lower level, “that will be a benefit” for Macy’s, he said.

Here’s how the department store operator performed during its fiscal fourth quarter, compared with what Wall Street was anticipating, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

• Earnings per share: $1.67 adjusted vs.$1.53 expected
• Revenue: $7.64 billion vs. $7.62 billion expected

Shares of Macy’s rose about 6% in premarket trading.

Macy’s net income for the three-month period that ended Jan. 31 rose to $507 million, or $1.84 per share, compared with $342 million, or $1.21 per share, in the year-ago period. Adjusting for one-time items including impairment and restructuring costs, the retailer reported earnings per share of $1.67. 

Sales fell from $7.77 billion in the year-ago quarter. 

Macy’s is about two years into a three-year effort to strengthen its struggling namesake brand, lean into its better-performing and more luxury-focused chains Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury and speed along the business’ supply chain and tech operations. That turnaround strategy has been led by Spring, who stepped into the company’s top role about two years ago. 

As part of its plan, Macy’s said it would close about 150, or more than a quarter, of its namesake stores by early 2027.

So far, Spring said Macy’s has closed a little over 80 of its namesake stores and is still planning to hit the approximately 150 closures. He declined to share how many new Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury stores the company may open and where those will be located, but said he sees a lot of opportunity to reach new markets.

Across the company, comparable sales for the fourth quarter grew 1.8% including owned and licensed merchandise and its third-party marketplace.

In the fourth quarter, comparable sales for the Macy’s namesake banner grew 0.4%. When including only the stores that Macy’s plans to keep open, comparable sales increased 0.6%. Comparable sales for Bloomingdale’s jumped 9.9%, and for Bluemercury grew 1.3%.

Bloomingdale’s posted its best holiday season ever, which Spring attributed to the retailer’s assortment, strong store and digital experience and ability to draw shoppers across generations.

During the holiday season, Spring said Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury drew in customers and less frequent, seasonal shoppers who sprang for pricier brands and items, including fragrances, sunglasses and shoes, as they looked for gifts.

And even since the gift-giving season has passed, Macy’s has not seen a change with consumer spending, Spring said.

“The middle- and upper-end consumer, which is the majority of our business, is resilient,” he said. “They are buying new things, fashionable things, wardrobe changes, [they’re] not as interested in essentials at this moment in time, and then, obviously the lower-income tiers are more choiceful.”

He said the department store operator’s approach of carrying products across a wide range of prices has been “one of the best antidotes” to an unpredictable economic backdrop.

Led by Spring, the company has tried to address criticisms that its Macy’s department stores carried stale merchandise, relied on too thin of staffing and had disorganized shelves and displays that had driven shoppers to competitors. 

While shuttering some of its namesake stores, the company pledged to invest in the approximately 350 Macy’s stores that will remain open. It has stepped up staffing, added new brands and sharpened its visual displays at a growing number of locations.

The company began with a test at 50 stores and has now scaled up to more Macy’s namesake locations. At the 125 locations where it has increased investment, sales outperformed the rest of the Macy’s chain, with comparable sales growth of 0.9%.

Spring told CNBC the company has now added 75 more stores, bringing the total to 200 “reimagined” stores. That represents about 60% of Macy’s namesake locations that it plans to keep open, he said.

Some of the biggest changes Macy’s has made at namesake stores include hiring more employees who can help customers and allowing local leadership the flexibility to put those employees in parts of the store where they can make the biggest difference, Spring said.

“It always comes down to the quality of the assortment and the quality of the people and the quality of the experience. And I think we’ve tried to address all three,” he said. “We’ve added brands. We’ve edited brands. We’ve made sure the shopping environment is more pleasant, less dense, [with] better storytelling, and we’ve added people to the stores.”

He said the stronger store business has lifted digital sales, which account for one-third of the brand’s overall sales.

Along with those changes, more of Macy’s namesake stores now carry newer, trendier and often more expensive brands including Theory, Reiss, Good American and Rodd & Gunn. Spring said those have been well-received and Macy’s plans to add them to more locations.

Shares of Macy’s closed on Tuesday at $16.92, bringing the company’s market value to $4.5 billion. As of Tuesday’s close, the company’s stock is up nearly 25% over the past year, outpacing the roughly 20% gains of the S&P 500 during the same period. Shares of Macy’s have fallen about 23% year to date, however. 

MUMBAI, India — Bollywood’s most anticipated action thriller sequel, “Dhurandhar: The Revenge,” starring Ranveer Singh and directed by Aditya Dhar, is set to storm theaters worldwide on March 19, 2026, with paid previews kicking off in India on March 18. The film, a direct continuation of the 2025 blockbuster “Dhurandhar,” has generated massive hype following its explosive trailer, early censor screenings and a fresh wave of viral reviews — even as it navigates controversy over promotional materials and community objections.

Directed, written and produced by Aditya Dhar under Jio Studios and B62 Studios, the 3-hour-49-minute epic (certified ‘A’ by India’s Central Board of Film Certification on March 17) picks up where the first installment left off. Ranveer Singh reprises his role as Hamza Ali Mazari — the undercover alias of Indian agent Jaskirat Singh Rangi — who delves deeper into Pakistan’s criminal underworld to track down a powerful antagonist known as Majo while confronting personal betrayals and escalating threats.

The cast boasts a powerhouse ensemble: Sanjay Dutt as S.P. Choudhary Aslam, Arjun Rampal as Major Iqbal, R. Madhavan as Ajay Sanyal, Sara Arjun as Yalina Jamali and others in pivotal roles. Yami Gautam, who makes a cameo, praised the film in late February as “beyond extraordinary” and “an experience the audience will never forget.” The sequel was shot back-to-back with the original, principal photography wrapping in October 2025 after starting in Bangkok in July 2024.

The first film, released December 5, 2025, became a massive commercial hit despite mixed critical reception, grossing huge figures and sparking debates over its portrayal of espionage and India-Pakistan dynamics. It was banned in several Gulf countries over specific dialogue and re-released globally in March 2026 to build momentum for the sequel. A post-credits tease in the original confirmed the duology’s second part.

The “Dhurandhar: The Revenge” trailer, dropped in early March, has been widely lauded for its gritty, bloodier tone, high-octane action sequences, dark humor and Ranveer Singh’s commanding performance. Reviewers described it as teasing a “baahubali-level” spectacle, with Dhar’s direction promising intense backstory revelations on Hamza’s transformation and vendetta. Music by Shashwat Sachdev, including the viral track “Aari Aari,” adds to the cinematic fire.

Early buzz exploded after overseas censor screenings. Dubai-based critic and censor board member Umair Sandhu posted a glowing review on March 13, calling the film “the Baahubali 2 of this era” and giving it 5 stars, claiming it left him “speechless” and predicting 3000 crore worldwide collections. He hailed Ranveer’s “lifetime performance” and Dhar’s comeback vision, declaring Pushpa and Baahubali series pale in comparison. Other first reactions echoed praise for the first half’s “zabardast” pacing and overall “crazy cinema.”

However, not all early feedback has gone unchallenged. Some alleged positive reviews went viral on social media, prompting Ranveer Singh’s fans to call out potential “fake reviews” and planted hype. Discussions on platforms like Reddit and X highlight cautious optimism, with fans excited but wary of overpromising after the first film’s polarizing reception.

The film faces fresh controversy just days before release. Reports emerged March 18 that a Sikh community member issued a legal notice to the makers, Ranveer Singh, CBFC and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting over an AI-generated promotional poster. The image reportedly shows Singh’s character in a turban while holding a cigarette, drawing objections for alleged misrepresentation. The issue has sparked online debates about sensitivity in character portrayal.

Marketing remains aggressive. The original “Dhurandhar” received a rare worldwide re-release starting March 12 (India) and March 13 (overseas) on about 500 screens to refresh audiences ahead of the sequel. Premieres for “The Revenge” are slated March 18 in the U.S. and Canada on premium large-format screens, a format usually reserved for major Hollywood events.

Industry observers predict a blockbuster opening, with pre-sales and advance bookings surging amid festive timing coinciding with Gudi Padwa, Ugadi and Eid al-Fitr. Projections from trade sources suggest strong potential in domestic and overseas markets, especially in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam versions alongside Hindi.

Speculation about a third installment swirled after reports that makers urged Dhar to consider expanding the saga, though the director has expressed interest in reuniting with Singh for a mythological action project instead. For now, focus remains on delivering a satisfying conclusion to the duology.

As theaters prepare for packed houses, “Dhurandhar: The Revenge” stands as one of 2026’s biggest cinematic events — a high-stakes blend of patriotism, revenge, espionage and star power. Whether it lives up to the hype or faces backlash over content sensitivities, the film is poised to dominate conversations this week. Audiences can expect non-stop action, emotional depth and Ranveer Singh at his intense best when it hits screens March 19.