The highly anticipated sequel, "Border 2," starring Sunny Deol, has seen an unprecedented demand, resulting in theaters adding post-midnight shows as late as 3:00 A.M.. The film, which was released on January 23, 2026, coinciding with the Republic Day weekend, has generated considerable buzz, with early trends indicating a strong opening at the domestic box office.
MovieMax, a popular cinema chain, has taken the lead in organizing these late-night screenings in several key locations. In Mumbai, "Border 2" can be viewed at MovieMax Huma Kanjurmarg at 1:20 A.M., while MovieMax Mira Road and MovieMax Sion are hosting shows at 1:15 A.M.. Pune's MovieMax Amanora is offering six shows between midnight and 8:00 A.M., with showtimes at 1:15 A.M., 1:45 A.M., 2:15 A.M., 3:00 A.M., 7:00 A.M., and 7:30 A.M.. This particular venue will screen "Border 2" a total of 30 times throughout the day. Additionally, MovieMax Gold in Pune has scheduled three post-midnight shows at 1:15 A.M., 2:15 A.M., and 3:15 A.M., and MovieMax Nagpur has a show at 1:15 A.M. Maxus, another cinema known for post-midnight shows, will screen "Border 2" at 12:45 A.M., followed by another at 7:00 A.M. at their Bhayander theatre near Mumbai. PVR Sangam in Andheri East, Mumbai, has scheduled a screening for 1:55 A.M.
The decision to hold post-midnight screenings stems from the overwhelmingly positive response from audiences and critics alike. Many are calling it a "thunderous war epic" that successfully honors the legacy of the 1997 original. Taran Adarsh, a trade analyst and film critic, gave "Border 2" a glowing review, awarding it 4.5 out of 5 stars and describing it as "outstanding". He commended director Anurag Singh for striking a balance between large-scale spectacle and deep emotion and praised Sunny Deol as the film's "beating heart," highlighting his commanding presence.
Bollywood Hungama also gave the film 4.5 stars out of 5, lauding the writing, direction, emotional depth, performances, and action sequences, while suggesting that some visual effects could have been improved and the film could have been shorter. Trisha Gaur from KoiMoi gave it 3.5 stars out of 5, recommending it as a "must-watch".
The film's strong advance booking numbers further fueled expectations. As of Thursday, January 22, 2026, "Border 2" had already sold 75,000 tickets across national multiplex chains and was projected to reach 140,000 by the end of the day. Sacnilk reported that the film had grossed ₹12.5 crore in advance sales for its opening day, with 409,117 tickets sold across 16,221 shows nationwide.
"Border 2" features a star-studded cast, including Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. While some reports suggested possible cancellations of morning shows due to delayed content delivery, these issues were expected to be resolved quickly.
Despite the initial disruption to morning shows, the addition of midnight shows reflects the positive buzz surrounding "Border 2" and the anticipation that it will perform well throughout the long Republic Day weekend. Preliminary estimates indicate that the film has grossed ₹30 crore on its opening day.
