Border 2: Sunny Deol-Varun Dhawan starrer Border 2 is one of the most anticipated films of 2026. Reason? It marks the return of the most respected patriotic franchise that left an indelible impact on Indian cinema. While the original Border – which had released in 1997 – is still remembered for its impactful treatment of nationalism and courage, viewers are eager to watch how the sequel would build on that legacy. The movie’s grand visual scale, its emotional appeal and impactful war sequences will resonate with the viewers. The movie’s impact can be gauged by the advance booking numbers it has already registered.
We spoke to trade analyst Taran Adarsh to understand if Border 2 will emerge as one of the biggest films of 2026. “It’s too early to say that. But I have to be honest about the massive craze for Border that I witnessed in 1997. This was when I had reviewed the film, and I was amazed with the massive love and support it received from the viewers. It was so because Border was a multi-starrer. It was undoubtedly the biggest film. JP Dutta was a big name even then and the films’ songs had garnered massive popularity and love.”
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For the unversed, the movie opened its advance bookings in India on January 19. Internationally, its advance booking had begun on January 18 evening. Going by the current data, the film has started to gain momentum. It has begun to clock over 2000 ticket sales hourly online. With this, Border 2 is racing ahead of several recent big releases overseas.
Border 2’s advance booking started in the United States, Germany, Australia, and a few theatres in Canada on January 18. As reported by Pinkvilla, in Australia, Border 2’s advance bookings are faster than those registered for Dhurandhar and War 2. Similar traction is reportedly being seen in the US and Germany too. Soon, more territories the world over will also open the ticket windows for Sunny Deol starrer.
On being asked for his reaction to India’s advance booking numbers, Taran said, “The movie’s advance booking opened in India on January 19. We should wait till Wednesday and Thursday to get a clear sense of audience response. In addition to advance booking, we must focus on spot/current booking which will start on Friday. That will help us understand what the actual footfall for the film is like.”
Much like the viewers, Taran too believes that Border 2 is one of the most anticipated films because of its deep emotional connect with the viewers. Viewers will be emotionally invested in Border 2 much like the original because it evokes strong feelings of sacrifice and patriotism. “What really worked for Border was its emotional attachment. Hence, people will automatically connect to Border 2. Star cast will work in the film’s favour too. What is even more important is that songs from the original film have been used in Border 2,” he explains.
Border 2 has managed to create massive curiosity among the viewers because it is based on the 1971 India-Pakistan war and openly calls the enemy by its name. “The film’s most popular dialogue ‘Awaaz kahan tak jaani chahiye. Lahore tak’ clearly names the enemy. I feel that the fact Border 2 openly calls the enemy by its name will really work in its favour. There’s no ‘Aman Ki Asha’ message in Border 2. It is rooted in the 1971 war and carries a strong sentiment.
