The buzz around Border 2 is quite high; it is also the first big release of 2026. However, a new report now suggests that just like Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, Border 2 won't be released in Gulf countries.
What's Happening
- As per Bollywood Hungama, "Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE will not be releasing Border 2. By now, it's given that films perceived as having 'anti-Pakistan' content don't get a release in this belt. Yet, the team of Border 2 did make an attempt, and sadly, their attempts proved futile. One day is left for release, and the hope is still there that they pass the film, though the possibility seems remote."
- The source added, “Recently, even Dhurandhar was not allowed a release in the same region. However, the makers of Border 2 are not losing sleep over it as they are aware that if the film manages to strike a chord with the moviegoers, the sky would be the limit in terms of its collections. Even Dhurandhar excelled at the ticket window and the money lost due to no release in the UAE/GCC belt didn't matter. Hopefully, Border 2 will go the same way.”
Dhurandhar UAE Ban
Ranveer Singh starrer Dhurandhar has been a massive success globally, becoming the highest-grossing Indian film of 2025. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the spy thriller is a two-part series that has received mixed reviews for its portrayal of anti-terror operations and geopolitical tensions.
Despite its success in India and other countries, Dhurandhar faced a ban in several Middle Eastern nations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. The ban in the Gulf market has resulted in an estimated loss of Rs 90 crore ($10 million) in overseas earnings.
Dhurandhar's overseas distributor, Pranab Kapadia, revealed that the ban resulted in a massive loss of around $10 million for the film. He mentioned that the Gulf market is especially important for Indian action films, which traditionally perform well here.
"I think this is at least a ten-million-dollar box office that we have lost, because traditionally, action films have always performed very well in the Middle East. And therefore, we feel that it should have gotten a release. But, at the same time, we have to respect the views and the rules and regulations of every territory and every country, and they have their reasons," Pranab told CNN-News18.
Part 2, titled Dhurandhar: The Revenge, will release in theatres on March 19, 2026.
A Recurring Setback
This pattern mirrors the experiences of other politically sensitive Bollywood titles. From Sky Force, The Diplomat, Article 370 to Tiger 3, several Indian films have faced release hurdles in the Gulf over their portrayal of India-Pakistan relations or geopolitical themes.
The situation is similar to what happened with Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone. The GCC belt has often shied away from releasing films with anti-Pakistani content because of its relations with both India and Pakistan.
About Border 2
Directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, JP Dutta, and Nidhi Dutta under the banners of T-Series Films and JP Films. The film sees Sunny Deol return to the Border franchise, alongside Varun Dhawan, Ahaan Shetty, and Diljit Dosanjh. The cast also features Mona Singh, Medha Rana, Sonam Bajwa, and Anya Singh in prominent roles. It releases in theatres on 23 January 2026.
ALSO READ | Before Dhurandhar, 5 Indian Films That Didn't Release Across Gulf Countries