January 29, 2026 (Navroze Bureau) :The box office journey of Border 2, starring Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Ahan Shetty, entered a crucial phase on Day 7 as the film showed visible signs of slowing down after crossing the ₹200 crore mark. While the milestone firmly establishes the war drama as one of the biggest commercial successes of the year, its pace now appears more measured—especially when compared to Sunny Deol’s previous blockbuster, Gadar 2.
Released amid massive expectations, Border 2 opened to thunderous response across single screens and multiplexes alike. The film benefited immensely from nostalgia attached to the 1997 classic Border, patriotic fervour, and Sunny Deol’s enduring mass appeal. The opening weekend numbers were particularly strong, driven by packed theatres in North India and impressive advance bookings.
By the end of its first week, Border 2 managed to cross the ₹200 crore benchmark at the domestic box office—an achievement that places it among the top-grossing Hindi films in recent times. However, trade analysts note that collections on Day 7 dipped compared to the first few days, indicating the beginning of the expected weekday slowdown.
Monday to Thursday collections saw a gradual decline, which is typical for big-budget films after a blockbuster opening. Despite the drop, the film continued to perform steadily, especially in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities where war dramas and patriotic films traditionally resonate strongly. Multiplex audiences, however, showed slightly reduced footfall as compared to the opening weekend.
A key point of discussion in trade circles is the comparison between Border 2 and Gadar 2. While both films rode on Sunny Deol’s larger-than-life screen presence and emotional appeal, Gadar 2 enjoyed an extraordinary box office run with minimal competition and unprecedented repeat value. In contrast, Border 2, despite its strong start, has not maintained the same relentless pace.
Industry experts suggest that Gadar 2 benefited from its universal family appeal and simpler emotional narrative, whereas Border 2 is a more intense, war-driven film that may not encourage as many repeat viewings. Additionally, audience expectations from a sequel to a cult classic were extremely high, leading to mixed reactions in certain sections.
Varun Dhawan’s presence brought in a younger audience, while Ahan Shetty’s performance was closely watched as he continued to establish himself in action-oriented roles. Critics and audiences largely appreciated the film’s scale, action sequences, and background score, though some felt the screenplay could have been tighter in the second half.
The film’s overseas performance has been respectable, with strong collections from markets such as the Middle East, Australia, and parts of North America, where patriotic Hindi films often find a loyal audience. Overseas earnings have contributed positively to the overall box office tally, even as domestic growth begins to plateau.
Another factor influencing the slowdown is growing competition from new releases and steady holdover films. With audiences having more options at the box office, sustaining weekday momentum becomes challenging even for big titles. Trade analysts believe that Border 2 will need a strong second weekend to maintain its upward trajectory and move closer to the numbers achieved by Gadar 2.
Despite lagging behind Gadar 2 in terms of week-one collections, Border 2 remains a clear commercial success. Crossing ₹200 crore within seven days is no small feat, especially in a competitive release window. The film has already emerged as one of the highest-grossing war dramas in recent Hindi cinema.
Looking ahead, much will depend on word-of-mouth and weekend footfalls. If the film manages to stabilize over the coming days, it could continue its strong run and potentially enter higher box office clubs in the weeks ahead. However, matching or surpassing Gadar 2’s lifetime collections appears challenging at this stage.
For Sunny Deol, Border 2 reinforces his remarkable box office resurgence, proving once again that his connection with mass audiences remains intact. For Varun Dhawan and Ahan Shetty, the film adds a major commercial success to their filmographies.
As Day 7 concludes, Border 2 stands at an interesting crossroads—celebrating a ₹200 crore milestone while facing the realities of post-opening-week slowdown. Whether it regains momentum or settles into a steady run will become clearer in the days to come.
Summary:
Border 2 crossed ₹200 crore by Day 7 but showed signs of slowing down, trailing Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2 as weekday collections dipped despite a strong opening and steady nationwide performance.