Bollywood 2026 Preview: Sequels, epics and pan-India films to watch in Indian cinemas

Bollywood is lining up an ambitious slate for 2026, packed with big-ticket sequels, mythological epics, web-to-film adaptations and experimental projects. With stars like Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor and Salman Khan leading the charge, filmmakers are betting heavily on scale, visual effects and high-octane storytelling to pull audiences back to cinemas. From spy thrillers like Dhurandhar Part 2 to epic spectacles such as Ramayana Part 1, the year promises something for every kind of moviegoer.

Bollywood 2026 digest: List of most anticipated movies

Dhurandhar Part 2: Backed by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, the sequel arrives with massive expectations after the first film created box-office fireworks despite minimal publicity. Ranveer Singh returns alongside Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi and Sanjay Dutt. Director Aditya Dhar explores the origin story of Singh’s character, tracing his journey into espionage while significantly scaling up the franchise’s ambition and action.

Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups: Yash returns to the big screen after the historic success of KGF: Chapter 2, which cemented his pan-India stardom. Featuring Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria, the film is co-written by Yash and director Geetu Mohandas. The involvement of Hollywood action choreographer J.J. Perry signals stylised, high-impact action sequences.

Battle of Galwan: Salman Khan steps into army fatigues in a film based on the violent Indo-China clash of the summer of 2020. Rooted in real events, the story depicts a confrontation in which both sides suffered casualties, even as China has never officially disclosed its losses. The film places Khan in familiar patriotic territory as he looks for a box-office turnaround.

Border 2: A sequel to JP Dutta's 1997 classic Border, the film features Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty, alongside Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh, and Medha Rana in significant roles. It is slated for release on 23 January 2026, coinciding with the Republic Day weekend.

Ramayana Part 1: Producer Namit Malhotra is betting big on the two-part epic to emerge as both a domestic blockbuster and a global spectacle. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film is among the most expensive Hindi productions ever and stars Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash and Sunny Deol.

Love & War: Sanjay Leela Bhansali reunites with Ranbir Kapoor for the first time since Saawariya (2007). Also starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, the film is structured as a love triangle and leans into Bhansali’s signature style of grand, tragic romance, making it one of the most talked-about projects of 2026.

Shakti Shalini: Aneet Padda takes centre stage following the attention she garnered with Saiyaara. Slated for a December release, the film marks her second feature and her entry into Maddock Films’ horror-comedy universe, with industry watchers keen to see whether the early buzz around the actor translates into box-office success.

Ikkis: Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis is a biographical war drama that has generated strong anticipation ahead of its 2026 release. Starring Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda in his theatrical debut alongside Akshay Kumar’s niece Simar Bhatia, the film also marks legendary actor Dharmendra’s final on-screen appearance. Originally postponed, it is now set for a clash-free January 1, 2026 release.

Lahore 1947: Among several projects backed by Aamir Khan’s production banner in 2026, this Partition-era drama stands out. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, the film stars Sunny Deol, Shabana Azmi and Ali Fazal, and is expected to deliver emotionally charged storytelling rooted in a pivotal moment in history.

Mardaani 3: Rani Mukerji returns as Shivani Shivaji Roy in the third instalment of the popular cop franchise. The film continues the series’ focus on gritty, issue-driven storytelling, with expectations riding high on whether it can match the impact of its predecessors.