Most-Awaited Indian Films Releasing In 2026: Ramayana, Dhurandhar 2 To King - 15 Movie Titles With Cast & Budget

Most-Awaited Indian Films Releasing In 2026

Most-Awaited Indian Films Releasing In 2026: We have officially bid our goodbyes to the year 2025 and now are all set to welcome the New Year 2026 with a bang! Today, let's take a look at the highly-awaited Indian movies releasing in 2026. From Ranbir Kapoor's epic saga Ramayana, Varun Dhawan-Diljit Dosanjh's Border 2 to Vijay Thalapathy's Jana Nayagan and Shah Rukh Khan's 'King' - the long list is here: 

(Pic Courtesy: Instagram/Movie Stills/Posters)

Ramayana Cast, Release Date

Filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari's magnum opus - Ramayana is touted as the biggest Indian film ever made. Reason? It's staggering budget, massive star cast and world-class VFX technology. Ramayana Part 1 is slated for release on Diwali 2026, and the second part on Diwali 2027. Ranbir Kapoor will be seen as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as the goddess Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman and Ravi Dubey as Lord Lakshmana.

Speaking on The Prakhar Gupta Xperience podcast, Ramayana producer Namit Malhotra said, "When we set out to make it, 6-7 years ago, when we really got serious about mounting it, everybody called me a lunatic, because no Indian film comes close to it budgetwise. To put it simply, it will be about $500 million by the time we are done with both the films - Part 1 and Part 2, which is over Rs 4000 crore."

 

Border 2

Border 2 is an epic war drama film directed by Anurag Singh. A sequel to JP Dutta's 1997 blockbuster film Border, it stars Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty, along with Sonam Bajwa, Mona Singh and Medha Rana. The film is set to release on January 23, 2026, coinciding with the Republic Day weekend.

Dhurandhar 2 Plot, Cast

Headlined by Ranveer Singh, filmmaker Aditya Dhar's 'Dhurandhar' emerged as one of the biggest Indian box office hits of 2025. The makers locked Eid 2026 as the official date of release for its sequel - Dhurandhar 2- on social media. The spy thriller is scheduled to hit theatres on March 19, 2026, and will be released in five languages -- Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam -- marking its first full pan-India outing. The sequel is expected to coincide with major festive holidays including Eid, Gudi Padwa and Ugadi. 

SRK's King

Shah Rukh Khan's King is the most anticipated 2026 action-thriller directed by Siddharth Anand. King marks SRK's maiden big-screen collaboration with daughter Suhana Khan, featuring a star-studded cast Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan and Anil Kapoor among others. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release in 2026 and according to Wikipedia, the staggering budget of King is Rs 350 crore.

Battle of Galwan

Salman Khan starrer 'Battle of Galwan' is one of the most-talked about movies hitting the screens in 2026. The teaser of the upcoming film was unveiled on the occasion of the actor's birthday, December 27, offering a glimpse into a gripping portrayal of the 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops. Chitrangda Singh has been cast opposite Salman Khan in the film, which is slated for a theatrical release on April 17, 2026.

Drishyam 3 Cast

Bollywood superstar Ajay Devgn is set to return as Vijay Salgaonkar in 'Drishyam 3', which is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on October 2, 2026. Shooting for the much-anticipated third instalment is currently underway across multiple cities and locations. The story will continue within the established 'Drishyam' timeline, introducing new twists in the lives of the Salgaonkar family. The film is written by Abhishek Pathak, Aamil Keeyan Khan and Parveez Shaikh. It has been directed by Abhishek Pathak.

Ikkis Film Release Date

One of the most-awaited films kicking off 2026 on a high is Ikkis, directed by renowned filmmaker Sriram Raghavan. Ikkis is a biographical war-drama space, narrating the inspiring story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, one of India's youngest Param Vir Chakra recipients. The film stars Agastya Nanda and Jaideep Ahlawat in pivotal roles. Ikkis marks veteran actor Dharmendra's last screen presence, as he breathed his last before the movie release. Ikkis hits the screens on January 1, 2026. 

Jana Nayagan Cast

'Jana Nayagan', touted as Thalapathy Vijay's last movie before he enters politics full-time, is directed by H Vinoth and features music composed by Anirudh Ravichander. The film is scheduled for a grand release on January 9, 2026, coinciding with the Pongal festival. The film stars Vijay in the lead alongside Bobby Deol, with an ensemble cast that includes Pooja Hegde, Mamitha Baiju, Prakash Raj, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Priyamani, and Narain.

Love And War

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Love and War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal is all set to release in 2026. 

Mardaani 3 Release, Cast

Mardaani 3 is a crime thriller film written by Aayush Gupta and directed by Abhiraj Minawala. The film casts Rani Mukerji, Janki Bodiwala, among others who are yet to be confirmed in the casting. As a sequel to the 2019 Mardaani 2 film, the film was announced on 13 December 2024. The film is currently set to release on February 27, 2026.

Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups

'Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups' is 'KGF' star Yash's most ambitious project. This action thriller, directed by Geetu Mohandas, boasts a stellar cast including Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Kiara Advani, and Tara Sutaria. Shot in English and Kannada, the film will be dubbed in multiple Indian languages. Scheduled for release on March 19, 2026, 'Toxic' promises a gripping cinematic experience.

Alpha

Two fierce female agents tackle dangerous missions in a thrilling world of espionage, as they navigate perilous situations, execute daring stunts, and face unexpected turns in this action-packed adventure. Directed by Shiv Rawail, the YRF venture stars Alia Bhatt, Sharvari and Bobby Deol in lead roles. It is scheduled to release on April 17, 2026.

The RajaSaab Release

Prabhas will once again entice his fans with The RajaSaab - one of his most-awaited projects. Directed by Maruthi, 'The RajaSaab' stars Prabhas, Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, and Zarina Wahab. The film is set to release worldwide on January 9, 2026, in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam.

Bhooth Bangla

Bhooth Bangla is an upcoming horror-comedy film starring Akshay Kumar and directed by Priyadarshan, marking a reunion of the popular actor-director duo. The movie stars Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Paresh Rawal, and more. Bhooth Bangla is slated for it's theatrical release on April 2, 2026. 

Shakti Shalini Release Date

Saiyaara actress Aneet Padda will be seen in Maddock Films' Shakti Shalini, marking a significant development for the upcoming horror comedy. The principal photography is scheduled to begin in January 2026. The film is set to release on 24 December 2026, on Christmas Eve. Earlier, it was reported that Kiara Advani would play the lead role.