The first Bollywood biggie of 2026 is here and it is Border 2, sequel to the 1997 blockbuster Border. After last-minute issues in loading content, this standalone sequel finally managed to release on time from the morning shows onwards. As per latest reports, Border 2 is off to a superb start across India.
Border 2 started off with an all-India average occupancy of 19 percent in the morning shows and this number grew to 29 percent in the afternoon shows. Initial word of mouth for Border 2 is on the positive side although a clear picture emerge by the evening and night shows. Also, the weekend trajectory of such films usually give us a big hint about the film's box office fortunes.
Gadar 2 is Sunny Deol's biggest opener at Rs 39 crore nett and Border 2 is certain to fly past the Rs 30 crore mark. Initially, the first day figure was expected to be around Rs 35-40 crore nett and the first few days of advance booking also suggested the same. However, the last two days haven't seen the same momentum for the film.
One big reason for the slowdown in advance booking is the dynamic pricing of Border 2. While this is a common practice for Bollywood biggies, Sunny Deol films generally are priced at normal rates. Gadar 2 is a prime example of this and with his stardom largely spread across the heartlands, affordable pricing has often been the mantra for Deol starrers.
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However, Border 2 being a multi-starrer and a franchise event film meant that the producers decided to go all-out in the pricing. Ultimately, Deol films rarely depend too much on advance booking as the mass belts often record unreal spot booking if the word of mouth is true.
The other protagonists in Border 2 are relatively young with only Varun Dhawan being a saleable star by Bollywood standards. Hence, a lot of the film's initial pull is from Deol's stardom and the brand value of Border. For now, the film is targeting Rs 30-35 crore nett for its opening day. This is a superb start and the key will be to show a massive upward spike across the weekend.
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[Data is compiled from independent sources linked to distributors and theater owners. Estimated figures could have a correction in the following day(s) when revised figures are obtained. This website doesn't take responsibility for the authenticity of these numbers]
