After the Dhurandhar mayhem that gave Hindi box office its biggest ever blockbuster, all eyes now are on Border 2 to create a similar euphoria. The return
of Sunny Deol in a franchise deeply rooted in Indian culture is a bigger moment than some are anticipating. While producers Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, JP Dutta, and Nidhi Dutta are working to ensure one of the widest releases ever for Border 2 in both India and overseas, their plans have taken a hit as the war drama has reportedly been banned by Gulf nations, meaning that it won't be releasing in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Over the past few years, there has been multiple instances of Arab countries of restricting the release of Indian movies. Any film that is perceived to carry 'anti-Pakistan' content has had trouble securing a release in the Middle-East belt, the most recent example being Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar.
Gulf Countries Banning Indian Movies - A Growing Trend
Before Border 2, Sunny Deol's high on patriotism Gadar 2 also faced a similar ban, thus losing out on much box office collection. The 2023 blockbuster's strong anti-Pakistan tone, which worked in its favour domestically, became a major roadblock in the Gulf region.
A similar fate awaited Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone's Fighter in 2024. The aerial action film, inspired by the Pulwama attack, immediately drew criticism after its trailer release. Initially, Fighter was banned across all Gulf nations except the UAE. However, the situation worsened when the UAE also suspended its release just a day later. The makers attempted damage control by submitting a re-edited version, but the UAE ministry rejected the revised cut as well, effectively shutting the door on a Gulf release.
Yami Gautam's Article 370 (2024), backed by Aditya Dhar, which focused on the revocation of the controversial constitutional provision in Kashmir, was refused certification across GCC countries. Salman Khan’s Tiger 3 (2023) was also banned in Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar.
The pattern continued in 2025 with films like Akshay Kumar's Sky Force and John Abraham's The Diplomat. Both films reportedly faced bans in several Middle Eastern countries due to concerns over their political themes and references to Pakistan.
With Border 2 now reportedly facing a similar roadblock, the growing pattern is hard to ignore. Films rooted in patriotism and conflict-driven narratives may continue to thrive in India, but their journey in the Middle East is clearly becoming more uncertain with each passing year.
How Does This Trend Hurt Indian Film Industry?
Gulf nations reside a massive chunk of South Asian diaspora and thus, Indian movies tend to perform steadily in these countries. And this is where the impact of bans becomes truly significant for the film industry. For decades, this belt has acted as one of the most reliable overseas markets for Hindi cinema. Even mid-budget films often manage steady numbers here, while big star-led releases routinely post record-breaking collections.
Recent blockbusters clearly show how important the Gulf market is. Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan turned into a global phenomenon in 2023, and a large part of its overseas earnings came from Gulf nations. The film enjoyed packed theatres in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, driven by strong word of mouth and repeat audiences. The same trend continued with Jawan later that year. The Atlee-directed action drama saw exceptional occupancy in Gulf countries, with several theatres running houseful shows for weeks. These markets helped push Jawan into the league of the highest-grossing Hindi films of all time.
Other mainstream entertainers have also benefited hugely from the region. Films like Tiger Zinda Hai, War, and even family-oriented releases have traditionally done well in the Gulf due to the mix of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Arab audiences who regularly consume Hindi content. For producers, these territories are often seen as 'safe money' that adds a solid cushion to the overall box office numbers.
This is exactly why bans hurt films like Article 370, Fighter, and Sky Force far more than it may appear on paper. Article 370, which dealt with a politically sensitive subject, lost a substantial overseas revenue stream. Fighter's case was even more damaging. Despite its star cast and scale, the film was completely locked out of the Gulf market. Even after re-editing, the rejection meant zero contribution from one of the strongest overseas belts.
Sky Force faced a similar issue in 2025. With several Middle Eastern countries refusing its release, the Akshay Kumar-starrer had to rely heavily on India and a few Western markets.
However, not all films are equally affected. Movies like Gadar 2 and Dhurandhar prove that strong domestic performance can soften the blow. Gadar 2, despite being banned in the Gulf, went on to create havoc at the Indian box office with a lifetime collection of over Rs 500 crore. Its emotional connect, mass appeal, and nostalgia factor helped it earn huge numbers in India and also perform well in markets like North America, the UK, and Australia. The missing Gulf revenue did hurt, but it did not stop the film from becoming an all-time blockbuster.
Dhurandhar followed a similar pattern. While its Gulf ban sparked controversy, the film's extraordinary response in India and strong collections in other overseas territories ensured that its overall box office remained historic, in the north of Rs 1300 crore.
That said, not every film can afford to lose an entire region. As content becomes more expensive and budgets continue to rise, the growing trend of Gulf bans is a worrying sign. For many Hindi films, especially those dealing with political or military themes, the Middle East market can now no longer be taken for granted.
Border 2 India Box Office Prospects
Meanwhile, riding high on nostalgia factor, Border 2 is heading for a bumper opening in India. The advance booking for Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty starrer has been encouraging thus far. Yes, after the extended opening weekend, a lot will depend on word of mouth. If the reactions are positive, the film could well go on to cross the Rs 500 crore mark domestically.
