A young soldier sacrificing his life on the brink of war; a yesteryear superstar making his last appearance in a Bollywood film, and a stylistic, noir filmmaker entering a new territory— 2026 begins with promise for Hindi cinema through Sriram Raghavan’s patriotic drama, Ikkis. Its gentle, nuanced portrayal of war, however, stands in direct contrast with Sunny Deol’s Border 2 (to be released on January 23), where, much like the staggeringly jingoistic first part, the reliance seems to be on raising the volume. January begins with calm and is expected to end with a bang. That right there could also signify the range of Hindi films in 2026.
As Shah Rukh Khan makes a return after two years with the bloody actioner, King,and Salman Khan wears the army uniform in Battle of Galwan, the year is set for a star-studded run at the box office, along with many other spectacles expected to raise the bar.
In the midst of these giants, there is also space for the return of Emraan Hashmi in his gritty, romantic avatar from the early 2000s in Awarapan 2or a dive into the dense, mysterious world of Mayasabha, the anticipated second film of Tumbbad director Rahi Anil Barve.
A string of rom-com movies will find a way back to the theatres with Varun Dhawan and Pooja Hegde’s Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai (June 5) and Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan’s Pati Patni Aur Woh Do (March 4), while Siddharth Chaturvedi and Mrunal Thakur’s Do Deewane Seher Mein promises a heartfelt tale of love.
However, there are still others with higher stakes, grander worlds, and much-awaited actor-director collaborations. These are extensions of popular franchises, conclusions of riveting narratives and the inception of some newer worlds.
Here is a list of Hindi films to look forward to in 2026:
1) Alpha
Hopes lie high for YRF Spy Universe’s first female-led actioner starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari Wagh as the high-octane franchise struggles to find its footing after a lukewarm reception to Tiger 3 and a dismal run for War 2. Although initially planned for a Christmas 2025 release, Alpha was postponed to April 17, 2026, with the makers reasoning that the VFX work on it was taking longer than expected. In light of Salman Khan’s Battle of Galwan securing the same date, coinciding with the superstar’s yearly Eid release, there are reports that Alpha could be delayed further. Nevertheless, the Shiv Rawail directorial could turn out to be an eye-turner at the box office in 2026.
2) Bhooth Bangla
Akshay Kumar in ‘Bhooth Bangla’ poster
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The coveted reunion of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan takes the shape of a horror-comedy in Bhooth Bangla, sprawling memories of the much-loved Bhool Bhulaiyaa. While the two are also collaborating on Hera Pheri 3 and Haiwaan, Bhooth Bangla will be the first of the lot to be released in theatres on April 2, 2026. The film also reunites Akshay and Tabu, 25 years after they starred together in Hera Pheri (2000). The horror-comedy also features Paresh Rawal, Jisshu Sengupta, Mithila Palkar, and Wamiqa Gabbi in pivotal roles.
3) Daayra
Kareena Kapoor Khan, Meghna Gulzar and Prithviraj Sukumaran
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Talvar director Meghna Gulzar returns to the world of crime with Daayra, a procedural starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Jointly produced by Junglee Pictures and Pen Studios, the film’s exact release window in 2026 has not been revealed yet. As per the makers, Daayra “explores how a diabolical act can trigger equal and opposite reactions, fracturing opinions across society.” Gulzar’s sensitive approach, combined with the powerful presence of Kareena and Prithviraj, could pave the way for an altogether gripping experience.
4) Drishyam 3
Ajay Devgn in ‘Drishyam 3’ poster
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Ajay Devgn’s simpleton father, Vijay Salgaonkar, returns for the third and final part of the popular crime-thriller in Drishyam 3, a remake of the Mohanlal-starring Malayalam film. Set to be released on October 2, 2026—a date which marks a memetic significance to the film’s plot—Drishyam 3 also stars Tabu and Shriya Saran in pivotal roles. While the first part, which came out in 2015, told the story of an ordinary man who gets embroiled in a murder investigation along with his family, the sequel, set seven years after the events of the first film, was released in 2022.
5) Dhurandhar Part 2
Ranveer Singh in ‘Dhurandhar’
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Amidst the massive success of Dhurandhar, the second part in the high-voltage saga has become one of the most anticipated films of 2026. Set to be released on March 19, Dhurandhar Part 2 will explore the mysterious past of Ranveer Singh’s Hamza, whose real name was revealed to be Jaskirat Singh Rangi at the end of the first part. As the Aditya Dhar directorial continues to invite polarising reactions for its worryingly persuasive, unidimensional, and hyper-violent display of real-events, it remains to be seen where the roads ultimately lead in the sequel.
6) Love and War
It is life circling back together for Ranbir Kapoor as he collaborates with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the director with whom the actor debuted with Saawariya in 2007. Titled Love & War, the epic saga will bring together Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in a much-anticipated fare. While initially scheduled to be released in March 2026, the film reportedly faced shooting delays and is now expected to come out in the later half of the year.
7) Mardaani 3
Rani Mukerji in ‘Mardaani 3’ poster
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After winning the National Film Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norwayin 2025, Rani Mukerji returns to her much-celebrated stint as senior police inspector Shivani Shivaji Roy in Mardaani 3. The film is being directed by Abhiraj Minawala, known for assisting on YRF films such as Band Baaja Baaraat, Gunday, Sultan, Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Tiger 3. Described by the makers as a “dark, deadly and brutal tale,” Mardaani 3 will be released in theatres on February 27, 2026.
8) O’ Romeo
‘O’ Romeo’ poster
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Vishal Bhardwaj and Shahid Kapoor will be reuniting for an upcoming thriller, O’ Romeo. Marking their fourth collaboration after Kaminey (2009), Haider (2014), and Rangoon (2017), the film is reportedly based on the life of gangster Hussain Ustara. While more details about the plot are not revealed, O’ Romeo also stars Nana Patekar and Avinash Tiwary, with Disha Patani making a special appearance. The film is set to be released in theatres on February 14, 2026.
9) Raja Shivaji
The poster of ‘Raja Shivaji’
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Actor Riteish Deshmukh will be making his Hindi directorial debut with the ambitious historical drama, Raja Shivaji, based on the life of the Maratha empire founder, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Marathi-Hindi bilingual is set to bring to life the journey of a young Shivaji, who rebelled against the mighty powers and eventually went on to become the revered Raja Shivaji. Apart from Riteish also playing the titular role, the film will feature an ensemble cast of Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh. It is set to be released in theatres on May 1, 2026.
10) Ramayana Part 1
‘Ramayana Part 1’ poster
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Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash, the first part in the much-anticipated mythological epic of Ramayana will be released on the festive occasion of Diwali in 2026. Mounted on a huge scale and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in association with eight-time Oscar-winning DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, the two-part epic saga features music composed by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman. If its promise of a high-octane mythological spectacle is achieved, the film will surely leave a spark at the box office this year.
Published – January 01, 2026 12:02 pm IST
