Republic Day has officially transformed into one of the most powerful weekends in the Indian cinema release calendar. What was once a patriotic date with sporadic big releases has now evolved into a full-fledged box office battlefield for Bollywood’s biggest stars. This transformation began in 2023 with Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, and in 2026, Sunny Deol’s Border 2 has come dangerously close to rewriting that legacy.
How Pathaan Changed the Republic Day Game
The shift began when Shah Rukh Khan returned from a four-year hiatus with Pathaan. Released on the eve of Republic Day in 2023, the film enjoyed a massive five-day extended weekend. The results were historic. Pathaan collected ₹280 crore net in just five days, including a staggering ₹70 crore on Republic Day alone. This wasn’t just a box office success—it was a revival moment for Bollywood itself.
With its explosive blend of patriotism, star power, and mass appeal, Pathaan proved that Republic Day could rival traditional festive weekends like Diwali and Eid. The benchmark was set, and expectations skyrocketed.
Fighter Falls Short of Expectations
In 2024, filmmaker Siddharth Anand attempted to recreate the Pathaan phenomenon with Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan. The aerial action drama carried strong patriotic undertones and released over the Republic Day weekend, positioning itself as the next big event film.
However, despite the hype, Fighter could not match the impact of Pathaan. The film earned ₹41 crore net on Republic Day and wrapped up its four-day extended weekend at ₹115 crore. While respectable, the numbers fell short of the blockbuster standards set the previous year, raising questions about whether Pathaan was simply a one-time miracle.
Sky Force Struggles in 2025
Those doubts seemed justified in 2025 when Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force arrived. The film opened to a disappointing ₹16 crore and, despite some recovery, earned ₹31.60 crore on Republic Day. Its total three-day weekend collection stood at just ₹73 crore. By then, industry watchers began to believe that Republic Day might not be the goldmine it was once thought to be.
Border 2 Brings the Roar Back
Then came Border 2—and Sunny Deol reminded everyone why he remains synonymous with patriotic cinema. Riding high on nostalgia, nationalism, and the legacy of the 1997 classic Border, the sequel struck a powerful emotional chord with audiences.
The results were nothing short of impressive. Border 2 earned ₹180 crore net over its four-day weekend, including a massive ₹59 crore on Republic Day. On January 25 alone, the film collected ₹54.50 crore—just 3% short of what Pathaan had earned on the same date three years earlier.
That razor-thin gap made it clear: Border 2 came agonisingly close to dethroning Pathaan as the biggest Republic Day release in Bollywood history.
Sunny Deol vs Shah Rukh Khan: A New Box Office Narrative
While Border 2 may not have officially surpassed Pathaan, it achieved something equally significant. It proved that Republic Day is no fluke and that the weekend holds immense potential for a specific genre—large-scale patriotic entertainers.
Sunny Deol’s success also reignites discussions around stardom. At a time when Shah Rukh Khan is often considered untouchable at the box office, Border 2 showed that legacy stars with the right content can still challenge the reigning kings.
The Verdict: Republic Day Is Here to Stay
The box office journey from Pathaan to Border 2 has firmly established Republic Day as a legitimate event weekend in Indian cinema. Patriotic films, when backed by strong emotion, nostalgia, and mass appeal, can deliver record-breaking numbers.
And while Shah Rukh Khan still holds the crown, Sunny Deol has proven that the throne isn’t as secure as it once seemed.
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