“Desh, Dosti aur Deol — Border 2 fires up the box office.”
Border 2 released on January 23, 2026, just ahead of Republic Day, reigniting patriotic fervor across cinemas. The much-awaited sequel to the 1997 cult classic Border stars Sunny Deol alongside Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. Backed by strong nostalgia and mass appeal, the war drama opened to impressive numbers.
Table of Contents
- Opening Day Box Office Collection
- Advance Booking Performance
- Audience & Critical Response
- Market Impact & Competition
- Republic Day Weekend Outlook
Opening Day Box Office Collection
Border 2 delivered a solid ₹30 crore net on Day 1 in India, comfortably beating early trade expectations of ₹20 crore. According to early estimates, the film played across nearly 6,000 shows with an overall Hindi occupancy of 32.1%, peaking at an impressive 48.06% during night shows.
The worldwide gross stood at approximately ₹35 crore, placing the film among the top 28 biggest Bollywood openers. While it fell short of Gadar 2’s ₹40.1 crore opening, it comfortably surpassed several recent big-ticket releases.
Advance Booking Performance
The film’s momentum was visible even before release. Advance bookings crossed ₹2.5 crore within 24 hours and reached around ₹17–17.5 crore (including blocked seats) by release eve.
With over 73,000 tickets sold nationwide, Border 2 outperformed Sunny Deol’s recent films and signaled strong mass-circuit traction. Trade analysts had already predicted a possible ₹40 crore non-holiday opening, driven by single screens and Tier-2 cities.
Audience & Critical Response
Audience reactions have been largely positive, with many calling the film an “epic patriotic war drama”. Strong word-of-mouth is driving higher footfalls in evening and night shows, a trend similar to other sleeper blockbusters.
Critics have offered mixed-to-positive reviews, praising the ensemble cast, emotional high points, and Anurag Singh’s direction. Much of the buzz is credited to Sunny Deol’s legacy and the film’s nationalistic timing.
Market Impact & Competition
The strong opening of Border 2 has impacted the box office run of Dhurandhar, pushing it below the ₹1 crore daily mark after a 50-day run. Major metros like Mumbai (1,015 shows) and Delhi-NCR (1,524 shows) recorded the highest footfalls.
Republic Day Weekend Outlook
With the Republic Day weekend ahead, trade experts expect a sharp jump in collections. If the current trend continues, Border 2 could challenge recent records and firmly enter the blockbuster zone.
Final Word: Powered by patriotism, nostalgia, and Sunny Deol’s mass appeal, Border 2 is well-positioned for an explosive weekend and a long, successful theatrical run.
