Bollywood Bets Big On Patriotism: Will 2026 Be The Year Of The War Hero?
For a genre that Bollywood once leaned on heavily, war and patriotic films had an underwhelming run in 2025. Despite exploring themes of sacrifice, many releases failed to strike a chord. Yet, the upcoming slate suggests that filmmakers aren't retreating. Instead, the industry is determined to revisit the genre with bigger stars and "massier" narratives.
The year kicked off on 1 January 2026 with Ikkis. Directed by Sriram Raghavan, the film chronicles the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee. While not a typical big-budget spectacle, the Ikkis movie Agastya Nanda debut has drawn attention for its emotional depth and for being the final on-screen appearance of the legendary Dharmendra.
Later this month, the stakes get higher. Border 2, the spiritual sequel to the 1997 cult classic, hits cinemas on 23 January. Featuring Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Diljit Dosanjh, it is positioned as a massive theatrical event.
Why 2025 Saw a Patriotic Slump
The push toward Indian war movies 2026 comes after a disappointing year for titles like Sky Force and 120 Bahadur. Trade analyst Rohit Jaiswal suggests the issue wasn't the theme, but the execution.
"Patriotic films are actually a very safe genre, provided the subject and the making are strong. The problem is not patriotism but it’s execution. If you look closely, most recent patriotic films didn’t have real superstars. You can’t expect massive box-office numbers without a big star."
Discussing the failure of niche war dramas, he added:
"War films cannot be made in a classy, niche way. They have to be massy. No matter how good the reviews are, if the mass audience doesn’t feel it’s a theatre-worthy film, they won’t come. You need a big actor and you need masala songs, emotions, scale. Just showing what happened during a war isn’t enough."
Box Office Hopes for Border 2 and Galwan
Expectations for Border 2 are sky-high. Analyst Atul Mohan predicts an opening of ₹50–60 crore, citing the "nostalgia factor" similar to Gadar 2. Meanwhile, Salman Khan is preparing to reclaim the box office with The Battle of Galwan, slated for 17 April 2026.
The film, based on the 2020 Himalayan clash, relies on raw, hand-to-hand combat rather than heavy VFX. Jaiswal believes this plays to Salman’s strengths:
"No matter what people say or how much trolling happens, (Battle of) Galwan has already achieved what it set out to do. Salman Khan is still a superstar. It doesn’t matter if his films haven’t worked in the last few years. Big stars always make a comeback."
Espionage and OTT: The New Frontiers
The trend extends beyond traditional battlefields. Dhurandhar 2, starring Ranveer Singh, is set for a massive Eid release on 19 March 2026. While more of a spy thriller, its themes of national security align with the wider patriotic wave.
On the digital front, Nikkhil Advani is leading the charge with The Revolutionaries on Prime Video and Freedom at Midnight Season 2 on SonyLiv. These series delve into the political turmoil of the 1947 Partition and the armed resistance of young freedom fighters, ensuring that the patriotic movies 2026 trend flourishes on small screens too.
Whether these stories can reignite the box office remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Bollywood isn't done telling India's stories of grit and glory.
The year kicked off on 1 January 2026 with Ikkis. Directed by Sriram Raghavan, the film chronicles the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee. While not a typical big-budget spectacle, the Ikkis movie Agastya Nanda debut has drawn attention for its emotional depth and for being the final on-screen appearance of the legendary Dharmendra.
Later this month, the stakes get higher. Border 2, the spiritual sequel to the 1997 cult classic, hits cinemas on 23 January. Featuring Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Diljit Dosanjh, it is positioned as a massive theatrical event.
Why 2025 Saw a Patriotic Slump
The push toward Indian war movies 2026 comes after a disappointing year for titles like Sky Force and 120 Bahadur. Trade analyst Rohit Jaiswal suggests the issue wasn't the theme, but the execution."Patriotic films are actually a very safe genre, provided the subject and the making are strong. The problem is not patriotism but it’s execution. If you look closely, most recent patriotic films didn’t have real superstars. You can’t expect massive box-office numbers without a big star."
Discussing the failure of niche war dramas, he added:
"War films cannot be made in a classy, niche way. They have to be massy. No matter how good the reviews are, if the mass audience doesn’t feel it’s a theatre-worthy film, they won’t come. You need a big actor and you need masala songs, emotions, scale. Just showing what happened during a war isn’t enough."
Box Office Hopes for Border 2 and Galwan
Expectations for Border 2 are sky-high. Analyst Atul Mohan predicts an opening of ₹50–60 crore, citing the "nostalgia factor" similar to Gadar 2. Meanwhile, Salman Khan is preparing to reclaim the box office with The Battle of Galwan, slated for 17 April 2026.
The film, based on the 2020 Himalayan clash, relies on raw, hand-to-hand combat rather than heavy VFX. Jaiswal believes this plays to Salman’s strengths:
"No matter what people say or how much trolling happens, (Battle of) Galwan has already achieved what it set out to do. Salman Khan is still a superstar. It doesn’t matter if his films haven’t worked in the last few years. Big stars always make a comeback."
Espionage and OTT: The New Frontiers
The trend extends beyond traditional battlefields. Dhurandhar 2, starring Ranveer Singh, is set for a massive Eid release on 19 March 2026. While more of a spy thriller, its themes of national security align with the wider patriotic wave.
On the digital front, Nikkhil Advani is leading the charge with The Revolutionaries on Prime Video and Freedom at Midnight Season 2 on SonyLiv. These series delve into the political turmoil of the 1947 Partition and the armed resistance of young freedom fighters, ensuring that the patriotic movies 2026 trend flourishes on small screens too.
Whether these stories can reignite the box office remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Bollywood isn't done telling India's stories of grit and glory.
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