From ‘Border 2’ To ‘Battle Of Galwan’, 2026 Set For A Big Cinematic Blast
Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): The year 2025 witnessed strong box office performances with films like Dhurandhar, Chhaava and Saiyara creating buzz in cinemas. Now, 2026 is gearing up to be an even bigger year for movie lovers. Bollywood along with the South film industry is preparing to release several highly anticipated films featuring top stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Prabhas and others. The upcoming lineup spans action, drama, mythology, horror-comedy and war genres, with many releases aligned with major festivals like Sankranti, Holi and Independence Day, promising massive box office impact.
The year will begin on a powerful note in January with Ikkis, a war drama directed by Sriram Raghavan. The film stars Agastya Nanda in the lead, along with Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat in key roles. Based on the true story of India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee, the film is also said to be Dharmendra’s final on-screen appearance.
Another January release is The Raja Saab, a horror-comedy starring Prabhas and directed by Maruthi. The film also features Nidhhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan and Sanjay Dutt in important roles. Thalapathy Vijay’s last film, Jan Nayagan, a political action thriller directed by H. Vinoth, is also expected to arrive around the same time, with Pooja Hegde and Bobby Deol playing significant characters.
The much-awaited Border 2, a sequel to the 1997 classic Border, is set for release in 2026. Directed by Anurag Singh, the war film once again stars Sunny Deol in the lead, alongside Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty. The story is based on the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
February will see the release of Mardaani 3, with Rani Mukerji reprising her role as Shivani Shivaji Roy. Directed by Abhiraj Minawala, the crime thriller is being described as the darkest chapter of the franchise so far.
March is expected to witness a major box office clash, with Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2 taking on Yash and Kiara Advani’s Toxic around the Eid festival. Both films promise high-octane action, and the first look of Toxic has already generated strong excitement.
In April, Salman Khan will be seen in Battle Of Galwan, directed by Apoorva Lakhia. The film is based on the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and stars Chitrangada Singh alongside Salman. June will bring Jailer 2, starring Rajinikanth and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, with Vijay Sethupathi and Mohanlal also playing key roles.
August will feature Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love And War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, one of the most anticipated releases of the year.
The year 2026 will also be special for Shah Rukh Khan’s fans, as his film King is set to release, featuring his daughter Suhana Khan alongside him. Prabhas will have another release with Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Rajkumar Santoshi’s Lahore 1947 will reunite Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta on screen.
Adding to the excitement, Nitesh Tiwari’s much-awaited epic Ramayana is also expected to hit theatres in 2026, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash in pivotal roles, though the official release date is yet to be announced.