Border 2 set to give Hindi cinema its first big hit of 2026; Sunny Deol eyes career-best opening

PTC Web Desk: While Telugu cinema has begun 2026 on a strong note with 'Chiranjeevi' delivering an early success, Bollywood is yet to register its first clean hit of the year. That situation, however, may change this Friday with the arrival of Border 2. Early indicators suggest that Sunny Deol’s much-anticipated war drama is heading for a powerful opening at the box office, with trade circles predicting numbers that could rewrite several records for the veteran actor.

Strong advance booking momentum

Advance ticket sales for 'Border 2' opened in India on Wednesday, following early pre-sales in overseas territories such as Canada, Germany and Australia. Within days, bookings have picked up steadily across domestic and international markets.

As of Thursday morning, the film had sold close to two lakh tickets nationwide for its opening day. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Border 2 had already collected nearly Rs 5.75 crore through advance bookings by 9 am on Thursday. On BookMyShow alone, the Anurag Singh directorial was selling close to 4,000 tickets every hour during the morning hours, almost double the pace seen earlier in the week.

Trade analysts expect a significant surge on the final day before release, especially with Republic Day around the corner. If the trend continues, advance booking collections are likely to cross the Rs 10-crore mark by Thursday night.

Opening day estimates look promising

Although the film’s advance booking pace may not be explosive, it has comfortably outperformed several recent Hindi big releases. For instance, Ranveer Singh’s 'Dhurandhar' had failed to touch Rs 4 crore in advance sales on the eve of its release, whereas 'Border 2' has already moved close to Rs 6 crore at a similar stage.

Industry experts believe this early traction will translate into a strong opening at the ticket window. The film is expected to comfortably surpass Dhurandhar’s first-day collection of Rs 28 crore, as well as the Rs 31 crore opening registered by Vicky Kaushal’s 'Chhaava'.

Current projections place Border 2’s day one net collection in the range of Rs 32–35 crore in India. This would mark a massive jump for Sunny Deol, whose previous release Jaat had opened at Rs 9 crore. With positive word of mouth and strong walk-in bookings, particularly in mass belts and smaller centres where Sunny Deol enjoys a loyal following, the numbers could go even higher.

Some optimistic trade forecasts suggest the film could touch or even cross Rs 40 crore on its opening day. If that happens, Border 2 would overtake the Rs 40.1 crore opening of Gadar 2, making it the biggest opening of Sunny Deol’s career.

Patriotic release timing works in film’s favour

The film’s release date, January 23, just ahead of Republic Day, is expected to further boost footfalls, especially over the long weekend. War dramas and patriotic films traditionally perform well during this period, and exhibitors are anticipating strong occupancy across single screens and multiplexes alike.

About the film

'Border 2' is the sequel to JP Dutta’s iconic 1997 blockbuster 'Border', which remains one of the most celebrated war films in Indian cinema. The new installment is directed by Anurag Singh and features Sunny Deol in a key role, alongside Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty.

The film is produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar under the T-Series banner, along with JP Dutta and Nidhi Dutta. Positioned as a large-scale war drama, 'Border 2' aims to tap into nostalgia while presenting a contemporary cinematic experience for today’s audience.

With advance bookings showing steady growth and strong interest across key markets, all eyes are now on Friday to see whether 'Border 2' can deliver Bollywood its first major success of 2026, and possibly a historic opening for Sunny Deol.