After Dhurandhar, Border 2 also banned from releasing in the gulf countries

The first major Bollywood release of 2026, Border 2, is hitting cinemas tomorrow, and the buzz around it is hard to miss. Strong advance bookings, packed shows, and rising excitement point towards a solid opening at the box office. However, while audiences in India and several international markets are gearing up for the film, moviegoers in the Gulf region are in for a disappointment. Border 2 will not be releasing across key Middle Eastern territories, including the UAE and other GCC countries.

Why Border 2 Won’t Release in the Gulf Region

According to industry sources, Border 2 has not received clearance in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, or the UAE. Films deemed politically sensitive or perceived as carrying strong anti-Pakistan undertones often face hurdles in this region, and Border 2 appears to have fallen into that category.

While the makers did attempt to secure approvals, their efforts have not yielded results so far. With just a day left for the film’s global release, there is still a slim hope that the decision could change, though insiders suggest the chances are very low.

A Pattern Seen Before: Films That Faced Similar Bans

This is not the first time a high-profile Bollywood film has been denied a Gulf release due to its subject matter. Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2 (2023) faced a similar fate. In 2024, Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone’s Fighter was initially cleared only in the UAE but was later pulled even from there after objections over its depiction of sensitive events.

Despite a re-edited version being submitted, Fighter failed to secure approval. More recently, films like Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force and John Abraham’s The Diplomat were also restricted in several Middle Eastern countries, once again due to concerns linked to Pakistan-centric narratives.

The Expectations

Directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 is a sequel to the iconic 1997 war film and stars Sunny Deol in a key role, along with a new generation of actors. While the absence of a Gulf release does impact overseas collections, the makers remain confident.