From war dramas to period love stories to films on misogyny, the first half of Bollywood’s 2026 slate had myriad stories and credible performances. Here are the best films of the year so far.
In Bollywood, the first half of 2026 has been all about loving your motherland. From spy thriller Dhurandhar: The Revenge to war dramas like Border 2 and Ikkis, Bollywood has once again reiterated the love for India and instilled the pride of being an Indian. From a man losing his identity and world to becoming a super spy to finding inspiration from a 21-year-old war hero, Hindi cinema paid its tribute to the armed forces. Some films spoke of consent and male entitlement. Imtiaz Ali opened yet another chapter of Partition to address generational trauma, heal past wounds and talk of soulmates and forever love. Here are the best Hindi films of 2026 so far.
Ikkis-Sriram Raghavan’s anti-war drama was based on the real-life war hero Second Lieutenant Arun Kehtarpal who defended a crucial point at the Indo-Pak border until his last breath during the fag end of the Indo-Pak war in 1971. While the film has the 1971 war as the backdrop, it serves as a story of humanity, redemption and the futility of war. The film featured Agastya Nanda in the lead role as the young, dynamic Arun Khetarpal but Ikkis will be remembered for the performance of late actor Dharmendra who delivered a class act as the grieving father of a war martyr. Scenes featuring Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat, who plays a former General of Pakistani Army, are the most special.
JP Dutta’s Border came in 1997 and remains a cult classic nearly three decades on. Surely the weight of expectation would be heavy for the makers when they announced the sequel. But Border 2, despite its flaws, is hugely entertaining, perhaps due to the performances of actors Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh, who lead a slightly uneven story that not only reignites the nationalist sentiments but also humanises the war and war heroes. While celebrating a victory in war is important, it is equally important to be sensitive to those who lose their loved ones in the bargain. The first film was directed by JP Dutta, who, along with his daughter Nidhi Dutta, co-produced the second film and let Anurag Singh direct it. Sure, it’s not as memorable as the original and awfully long with bad VFX, but Border 2 has got its heart in the right place and manages to entertain.
It’s been quite a year for the Deol family. Dharmendra and his sons Sunny and Bobby, all featured in important films this year, reiterating that the trio were a force to reckon with. Bobby features as a has-been actor in Anurag Kashyap’s gritty drama Bandar. A prison drama that flips the narrative on #MeToo, making you question the intent of the so-called victim more than the perpetrator. Kashyap’s film is uneven but also features Bobby Deol in top form as an entitled man, who later becomes vulnerable and helpless but learns his way around in a prison, housed with hard-nosed criminals.
Imtiaz Ali’s hauntingly beautiful partition drama has Naseeruddin Shah delivering his career’s best performance. Shah plays a man in his 90s suffering from dementia, yearning to go back to his motherland, Sargodha, which is now across the border, just to meet his loved one one last time. Not only Shah, but the film has stellar performances by Sharvari, Vedang Raina, Diljit Dosanjh, Rajat Kapoor, Vinod Nagpal and Sanjay Suri. While the film is centred around a love story that transcends borders and time, it also talks of the generational trauma that partition gave to scores of families, which are yet to fully heal. The film is a poignant take on the time that was where situation and politics turned communities against each other. Main Vaapas Aaunga’s box office success is also historic as it gained momentum in theatres a week after its release- mostly due to word of mouth publicity, reiterating the fact that the audience always roots for good cinema.
Maa Behen, a satire on misogyny and perception of women, had Madhuri Dixit and Tripti Dimri delivering fine performances, with Dharna Durga making an impressive debut on the big screen. The film at some point becomes preachy, but overall it’s enjoyable.
Assi- Anubhav Sinha’s film featuring Taapsee Pannu and Kani Kusruti is hard-hitting. A courtroom drama about a rape case, Assi makes you uncomfortable, yet it is an essential watch.
Mardaani 3- Rani Mukerji reprised her gritty cop character in the third instalment of Mardaani 2. This time, she has to crack a deadly nexus involved in a child trafficking case. The film offers thrills and features Mukerji in a powerful role.
Leave a Reply