The highly anticipated war drama "Border 2," starring Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty, opened to a strong reception at the box office on Friday, January 23, 2026. The film, a standalone sequel to the 1997 classic "Border," collected an estimated 30 crore rupees net on its opening day in India. This impressive start comes with advance bookings that significantly outpaced previous major releases like "Dhurandhar," signaling a promising theatrical run for the multi-starrer.[sacnilk+4]
Explosive Box Office Debut
"Border 2" launched across approximately 6,000 shows in India, demonstrating wide market penetration from its first day. The movie's day one performance saw an overall Hindi occupancy of 32.10% on Friday.Beyond domestic shores, the film added an estimated 5 crore rupees from overseas markets, contributing to a worldwide gross collection of around 41 crore rupees on its opening day.This strong financial start establishes "Border 2" as a significant contender in the early 2026 box office landscape.The film's ensemble cast, coupled with the enduring legacy of its predecessor, appears to have resonated deeply with audiences nationwide.[sacnilk+6]
Outpacing Recent Blockbusters
The advance booking figures for "Border 2" provided an early indication of its potential success, amassing a total of 17 crore rupees before its release.This performance notably surpassed "Dhurandhar," which had recorded advance bookings of approximately 9.23 crore rupees for its first day.Industry analysts noted that "Border 2" achieved a 101% jump in pre-sales over "Dhurandhar" in the final 24 hours leading up to its release, underscoring intense audience anticipation.In terms of opening day collections, "Border 2"'s 30 crore rupees net comfortably exceeded "Dhurandhar," which opened at 28 crore rupees in India.However, "Border 2" did not surpass Sunny Deol's previous blockbuster, "Gadar 2," which had a first-day collection exceeding 40 crore rupees in 2023.Despite this, "Border 2" marked the biggest opening for actors Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty, and Diljit Dosanjh in their respective careers.[timesofindia+9]
Critical Acclaim and Audience Enthusiasm
"Border 2" has garnered largely positive reviews from both critics and audiences, who have hailed it as a powerful war epic. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh awarded the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it "Outstanding" and a "thunderous, emotionally charged war epic" that honors the original.Adarsh specifically praised director Anurag Singh for balancing large-scale spectacle with deep emotional resonance.He also lauded Sunny Deol's "commanding and righteous" performance as the "beating heart" of the film.Bollywood Hungama echoed similar sentiments, giving it 4.5 stars and commending the writing, direction, emotional quotient, and action sequences.Audience reactions have described the film as an "epic war drama," praising the performances of the entire cast, including Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty.The film is set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, expanding on its predecessor by showcasing combined operations of the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy.[en+7]
Continuing a Storied Legacy
The decision to revisit the "Border" franchise, nearly three decades after the original's release, has proven successful. The 1997 film, directed by J.P. Dutta, remains an iconic war drama in Indian cinema. For "Border 2," J.P. Dutta and Nidhi Dutta are among the producers, ensuring a connection to the original's creative lineage.Anurag Singh directed the sequel, which features Sunny Deol reprising his central role.The inclusion of Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty alongside Deol provided a fresh dynamic to the narrative, bringing new talent to the established franchise.This blend of veteran and contemporary actors, combined with a compelling story of patriotism and valor, has been a key factor in the film's strong opening.The film's estimated budget ranges from 150 to 250 crore rupees, indicating a significant investment in bringing this large-scale war story to the screen.[en+7]
Promising Outlook for the Weekend
With a solid opening day and positive word-of-mouth spreading rapidly, "Border 2" is poised for continued success over its opening weekend. Trade analysts predict that the film will maintain its strong momentum, particularly given the favorable audience response.The film's ability to draw crowds and generate significant advance bookings suggests a sustained interest that could lead to substantial collections in the coming days. Its performance will be closely watched as it aims to solidify its position as one of the biggest releases of 2026. The strong start indicates that "Border 2" has effectively captured the patriotic fervor and cinematic appeal needed to thrive at the box office, setting the stage for a successful theatrical run.[indianexpress+2]
The highly anticipated war drama "Border 2," starring Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty, opened to a strong reception at the box office on Friday, January 23, 2026. The film, a standalone sequel to the 1997 classic "Border," collected an estimated 30 crore rupees net on its opening day in India. This impressive start comes with advance bookings that significantly outpaced previous major releases like "Dhurandhar," signaling a promising theatrical run for the multi-starrer.
Explosive Box Office Debut
"Border 2" launched across approximately 6,000 shows in India, demonstrating wide market penetration from its first day. Themovie's day one performance saw an overall Hindi occupancy of 32.10% on Friday. Beyond domestic shores, the film added an estimated 5 crore rupees from overseas markets, contributing to a worldwide gross collection of around 41 crore rupees on its opening day. This strong financial start establishes "Border 2" as a significant contender in the early 2026 box office landscape. Thefilm's ensemble cast, coupled with the enduring legacy of its predecessor, appears to have resonated deeply with audiences nationwide.[indianexpress+4]
Outpacing Recent Blockbusters
The advance booking figures for "Border 2" provided an early indication of its potential success, amassing a total of 17 crore rupees before its release. This performance notably surpassed "Dhurandhar," which had recorded advance bookings of approximately 9.23 crore rupees for its first day. Industry analysts noted that "Border 2" achieved a 101% jump in pre-sales over "Dhurandhar" in the final 24 hours leading up to its release, underscoring intense audience anticipation. In terms of opening day collections, "Border 2"'s 30 crore rupees net comfortably exceeded "Dhurandhar," which opened at 28 crore rupees in India. However, "Border 2" did not surpass Sunny Deol's previous blockbuster, "Gadar 2," which had a first-day collection exceeding 40 crore rupees in 2023. Despite this, "Border 2" marked the biggest opening for actors Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty, and Diljit Dosanjh in their respective careers.[timesofindia+7]
Critical Acclaim and Audience Enthusiasm
"Border 2" has garnered largely positive reviews from both critics and audiences, who have hailed it as a powerful war epic. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh awarded the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it "Outstanding" and a "thunderous, emotionally charged war epic" that honors the original. Adarsh specifically praised director Anurag Singh for balancing large-scale spectacle with deep emotional resonance. He also lauded Sunny Deol's "commanding and righteous" performance as the "beating heart" of the film. Bollywood Hungama echoed similar sentiments, giving it 4.5 stars and commending the writing, direction, emotional quotient, and action sequences. Audience reactions have described the film as an "epic war drama," praising the performances of the entire cast, including Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty. Thefilm is set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, expanding on its predecessor by showcasing combined operations of the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy.[en+6]
Continuing a Storied Legacy
The decision to revisit the "Border" franchise, nearly three decades after the original's release, has proven successful. The 1997 film, directed by J.P. Dutta, remains an iconic war drama in Indian cinema. For "Border 2," J.P. Dutta and Nidhi Dutta are among the producers, ensuring a connection to the original's creative lineage. Anurag Singh directed the sequel, which features Sunny Deol reprising his central role. Theinclusion of Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty alongside Deol provided a fresh dynamic to the narrative, bringing new talent to the established franchise. This blend of veteran and contemporary actors, combined with a compelling story of patriotism and valor, has been a key factor in the film's strong opening. Thefilm's estimated budget ranges from 150 to 250 crore rupees, indicating a significant investment in bringing this large-scale war story to the screen.[en+6]
Promising Outlook for the Weekend
With a solid opening day and positive word-of-mouth spreading rapidly, "Border 2" is poised for continued success over its opening weekend. Trade analysts predict that the film will maintain its strong momentum, particularly given the favorable audience response. Thefilm's ability to draw crowds and generate significant advance bookings suggests a sustained interest that could lead to substantial collections in the coming days. Its performance will be closely watched as it aims to solidify its position as one of the biggest releases of 2026. The strong start indicates that "Border 2" has effectively captured the patriotic fervor and cinematic appeal needed to thrive at the box office, setting the stage for a successful theatrical run.[indianexpress+1]
