Bollywood is betting less on new stories, as seen in 2026. The year’s first sequel Border 2 collected ₹482 crore worldwide. Mardaani 3 followed with ₹75 crore and became the highest-grossing film of its franchise.
By the end of February, The Kerala Story 2 joined the list. The film earned ₹61 crore at the box office.
Dhurandhar 2 was released on 19th March 2026, and the film is still running in theatres. It surpassed the success of the first film of the franchise.
So far, its collection is ₹1,500 crore at the box office (and the numbers are increasing every single day). It has set a new record for box office collection amongst all the recently released sequels.
When we compare the combined box office collections of fresh releases versus those of the sequels, the sequels have outperformed fresh releases by a huge margin. In the first quarter of 2026, the combined box office collection of fresh releases is around ₹100-115 crore.
In contrast, the sequels released in the same period have accrued a total of ₹2000 crore (approx.). Earning almost 15 times more than the original films.
However, the success of recent sequels suggests that audiences are not just showing up for familiar films. These films act as a counterbalance to the OTT culture and swing the needle in favour of the cinema halls. They justify the storyline, are relatable and meaningful.
And that is the reason why sequel films like Border 2 and Dhurandhar 2 pulled audiences back to cinema halls. Also, this trend is far from over.
Other prominent sequels to be released this year include thrillers such as Drishyam 3 and comedies like Dhamaal 4 and Welcome 3. Check out the list of upcoming sequels below:
Drishyam 3
Thus far, Vijay Salgaonkar has successfully saved his family from the police. It would be interesting to note whether he is able to escape this time. Or will his lies finally expose him and his family?
Release Date – October 2, 2026
Awarapan 2
Emraan Hashmi is seen reprising his previous role as Shivam Pandit. Disha Patani and Shabana Azmi also star in the film. It is a romantic action-thriller, with themes of love, loss and redemption.
Release Date – August 2026
Cocktail 2
The entire star cast of the film has been changed. This one stars Shahid Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Kriti Sanon in lead roles. Like the theme of the previous film, this one too explores the challenges of modern, urban relationships. Will Cocktail 2 sustain the momentum of success in this era of Bollywood sequels?
Release Date – June 19, 2026
Dhamaal 4
Indra Kumar’s comedy-riot is back with the fourth edition. The film includes Ajay Devgan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaffrey, and Sanjay Mishra in prime roles.
Release Date – July 3, 2026
Welcome To The Jungle (Welcome 3)
This is the third film of the OG Welcome franchise. While the second version did not have Akshay Kumar, this one does. Other stars in the film include Suneil Shetty and Disha Patani. It is an action comedy.
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Release Date – June 26, 2026
Khosla Ka Ghosla 2
The comedy film is back with the original trio of Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, and Parvin Dabbas.
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Ginny Weds Sunny 2
It is a romantic comedy that focuses on a mismatched people falling in love type of storyline. The film features Avinash Tiwary and Medha Shankar.
Release Date – April 24, 2026
2026 looks like the year of sequel cinema in Bollywood. While some have been released and conquered the box office, others are yet to be released. And some more are under production this year such as Queen 2, Stree 3, Krrish 4, among others.
And looking at the sheer volume of sequels, it is safe to say Bollywood isn’t just experimenting with them; it is relying on them. So, perhaps the question now isn’t whether sequels are here to stay, but whether original storytelling can still hold its ground.