Border 2, starring Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahaan Shetty, is gearing up for a nationwide theatrical release on January 23, with its advance booking numbers drawing significant industry attention. Directed by Anurag Singh, the war drama arrives at a time when the Indian box office is experiencing a lull, giving the film a clear run with no major competing releases in cinemas.
The makers have mounted an expansive release, with the film opening across nearly 4,800 screens and approximately 17,000 shows nationwide. The wide footprint across multiplexes and single-screen theatres reflects strong confidence from exhibitors and distributors in the film’s box office potential.
As of 11 am IST on Thursday,Border 2sold around 1.86 lakh tickets in advance for its opening day, collecting an estimated Rs 5.96 crore in gross pre-sales, excluding blocked seats. Delhi emerged as the top-performing market with Rs 1.49 crore in advance collections, followed by Maharashtra at Rs 79 lakh and Uttar Pradesh at Rs 64 lakh. With a day still left before release, trade experts expect last-minute bookings to push the numbers higher.
Despite the encouraging start,Border 2faces inevitable comparisons with Sunny Deol’s previous sequelGadar 2, which delivered a historic opening in 2023.Gadar 2sold over 7.22 lakh tickets in advance and amassed Rs 17.6 crore in pre-release collections, even while competing with films likeOMG 2. By comparison,Border 2currently trailsGadar 2by over 66 per cent in advance ticket sales.
Trade analysts note that matchingGadar 2’s opening appears difficult, highlighting how rare such a box office phenomenon is. However, the sequel status, nostalgia associated with the 1997 classicBorder, and Sunny Deol’s enduring popularity continue to fuel audience interest. The film is expected to benefit further from walk-in audiences over the extended opening weekend.
Certified U/A 13+ by the CBFC without any cuts,Border 2is set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war. The film promises a large-scale cinematic spectacle, showcasing land, air and naval combat sequences, and aims to deliver a patriotic, action-packed experience for audiences.
