Why Karan Johar thinks Border 2 and Dhurandhar will revive Bollywood: Sunny Deol's war drama off to cracking start

Dubai: Filmmaker Karan Johar, who has directed blockbusters like Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, believes Bollywood has found its box-office mojo again.

The producer-director took to social media to celebrate what he called a defining moment for Hindi cinema, declaring that the industry has finally bounced back after a long lull following the spectacular success of 'Dhurandhar' and 'Border 2'.

Two big-ticket releases in quick succession have delivered record-breaking numbers. Aditya Dhar’s action thriller Dhurandhar, which hit theatres in December, went on to become the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2025, crossing Rs13 billion at the global box office. Meanwhile, Border 2, starring Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan, which did not release in the UAE cinemas like 'Dhurandhar', opened strongly this January and collected more than Rs 1 billion within its first three days.

Reacting to the back-to-back blockbusters, Johar shared a celebratory note on his Instagram Stories. “The huge success of two consecutive Hindi films proves one thing — Bollywood is back,” he wrote, adding that emotionally driven storytelling is once again connecting with audiences. He also remarked that films succeed when they resonate deeply with viewers rather than relying only on scale or spectacle.

Border 2 is directed and co-written by Anurag Singh and serves as a sequel to J.P. Dutta’s iconic 1997 war drama Border. The new film expands the narrative into a multi-front conflict involving the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy. The project is backed by T-Series Films and J.P. Films, with producers Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, J.P. Dutta and Nidhi Dutta.

Apart from Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan, the cast includes Ahan Shetty, Diljit Dosanjh, Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh and Medha Rana. The film has been drawing large crowds to theatres, especially in North India, where the original Border still enjoys cult status.

Dhurandhar, on the other hand, marks Aditya Dhar’s return to the spy-action genre. The story follows an Indian intelligence officer sent on a dangerous mission to infiltrate a criminal gang operating out of Lyari, Pakistan. Ranveer Singh plays undercover agent Hamza Ali Mazari, while Akshaye Khanna essays the role of gang leader Rehman Dakait.

The ensemble cast also features Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi.

Riding on its unprecedented success, the makers have already announced a sequel, Dhurandhar 2, scheduled for release on March 19, 2026, coinciding with Eid. The sequel will be released in Hindi as well as multiple South Indian languages.

With two major films reviving audience confidence in theatrical releases, industry insiders believe Bollywood is entering a more stable phase after years of uncertainty.