Border 2 storms the box office with Rs 32.10 crore Day 1, giving Varun Dhawan his biggest opening and 2026’s top debut so far.

New Delhi: Bollywood war drama Border 2 has made a thunderous start at the box office, delivering the biggest opening day of Varun Dhawan’s career with a robust Rs 32.10 crore net collection in India, according to industry tracker Sacnilk.

The figure places Border 2 as the highest opener of 2026 so far, narrowly missing the record set by last year’s blockbuster Chhaava, which had collected Rs 33.10 crore on its first day.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh said the Sunny Deol-starrer registered one of the strongest openings in recent times despite releasing on a non-holiday working day.

“Released on a non-holiday / working day, Border 2 takes a flying start on Day 1 – registering not only the biggest opening of 2026 so far, but also matching the biggest opener of 2025 – Chhaava (Rs 33.10 cr). The film has performed exceptionally well in the mass belts, with several single screens registering superb occupancy,” Adarsh wrote on X.

He added that urban centres saw improving footfalls as the day progressed and that glowing word of mouth is likely to push collections higher over the weekend. With the Republic Day holiday falling on Monday, the film is expected to post its biggest numbers during the extended weekend.

For Varun Dhawan, the opening marks a major personal milestone after a string of underperforming films. The Rs 32.10 crore debut comfortably surpasses his previous best opening of Rs 21.60 crore for Kalank (2019). Earlier, Dilwale (2015) had opened at Rs 21 crore, while Judwaa 2 (2017) debuted at Rs 16.10 crore.

In Border 2, Varun plays Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya, a Param Vir Chakra awardee for his heroics in the 1971 war. His casting has added youth appeal to the ensemble and expanded the film’s reach across demographics.

As the focus now shifts from opening day numbers to weekend momentum, the film is eyeing major domestic milestones in its first week. For Varun Dhawan, however, Day 1 has already delivered a career-defining result. He will next be seen in Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, directed by his father David Dhawan, alongside Pooja Hegde and Mrunal Thakur.