Lagaan (2001)

Actor-producer Aamir Khan with other cast members of Lagaan.

Ashutosh Gowariker’s film. Lagaan: Once upon a time in Indiastarring Aamir Khan, was released with modest expectations, released with a price tag of around Rs 1.5-2 crore and grossed between Rs 6-7 crore in its opening weekend. However, extraordinary word of mouth transformed it into a historic box office success. Its patriotic undertones, layered narrative and eventual Oscar nomination cemented its place as one of the best films in Indian cinema.

Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001)

Gadar still: Ek Prem Katha.

Sunny Deol’s Gadar, which had a box office clash with Aamir Khan’s Laggan, started off quietly with an opening day of around Rs 1.4 crore and an opening weekend of Rs 5-6 crore, but what followed was unprecedented. The film witnessed a phenomenal rise in collections.especially on single screens, and emerged as one of the biggest box office hits in the history of Hindi cinema, defining mass action patriotism for years to come.

Jai Ho (2014)

A still image of Salman Khan starrer Jai Ho.

Salman Khan’s Jai Ho took advantage of the Republic Day holiday with a strong opening day of Rs 17.5 crore and an opening weekend of Rs 56 crore. While initial numbers were strong, the film was unable to maintain momentum due to mixed reception, ultimately settling for an average to semi-hit verdict despite the festive advantage.

Airlift (2016)

A frame from Airlift

Akshay Kumar’s Airlift proved that content-driven patriotic cinema thrives during Republic Day. The film was released with a price tag of Rs 12.35 crore and grossed around Rs 44 crore in its opening weekend. Strong storytelling and emotional resonance helped the film grow steadily, resulting in a blockbuster verdict and reinforcing Akshay Kumar’s dominance in socially relevant cinema.

Raees (2017)

Shah Rukh Khan in Raees.

Despite a major clash, Raees opened big with Rs 20.4 crore on day 1 and around Rs 59.8 crore during its opening weekend. Shah Rukh Khan’s star power ensured strong initial traction, and the film became a hit, proving that Republic Day remains a reliable launching pad even amidst competition.

Kaabil (2017)

Still from Kaabil (2017) with Yami Gautam and Hrithik Roshan.

Released alongside SRK’s Raees, Hrithik Roshan’s Kaabil opened to Rs 10.4 crore and earned approximately Rs 34 crore in its opening weekend. While its numbers were affected by the crash, the film found appreciation for its performances and music, achieving a respectable run and a verdict of semi-success.

Padmaavat (2018)

Deepika Padukone in Padmaavat.

Released amidst intense controversy, Padmaavat still delivered an impressive opening day of Rs 19 crore and a massive opening weekend of Rs 114 crore. The scale, music and performances of the film brought audiences to theaters and it became a box office hit, underlining the sheer power of the Republic Day corridor.

Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019)

Vicky Kaushal previously headlined Aditya Dhar’s debut film Uri: The Surgical Strike.

Aditya Dhar’s directorial Uri, starring Vicky Kaushal, opened modestly with Rs 8.2 crore and collected around Rs 35 crore during its opening weekend, but Republic Day turned out to be a turning point. Exceptional word of mouth led to explosive growth after the holidays, and the film eventually emerged as a box office hit, with “How’s Josh?” becoming a national phenomenon.

Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (2019)

A still from Manikarnika.

Kangana Ranaut’s historical epic opened to Rs 8.75 crore and earned around Rs 42 crore in its opening weekend. The patriotic theme aligned well with the Republic Day sentiment, which helped the film get a successful verdict.

Pathan (2023)

Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan in a still from Pathaan.

Pathaan renewed the Republic Day box office history with a staggering opening day of Rs 57 crore and a bumper opening weekend of Rs 166 crore. Shah Rukh Khan’s return, combined with an action extravaganza and Christmas perks, made the film an all-time blockbuster and set new benchmarks for Republic Day releases.

Trade Taran Adarsh ​​shared across 500 cr milestone. Fastest to reach Rs 500 cr mark (on 28th).

Fighters (2024)

A still from Fighter.

Hrithik Roshan starrer Fighter took advantage of the Republic Day window with an opening day of Rs 22.5 crore and an opening weekend of Rs 112 crore. Strong performance in IMAX and premium formats boosted collections, and the film emerged as a solid hit.

Sky Force (2025)

A still image from Sky Force.

On Republic Day 2025, Bollywood saw Akshay Kumar’s war drama Sky Force lead the Christmas box office window with a steady opening and strong overall run. Released on January 24, 2025 to coincide with the Republic Day weekend, Sky Force earned approximately Rs 15.3 crore on its first day, grew to approximately Rs 26.3 crore on its second day and Rs 31.6 crore on Republic Day itself, thanks to the rush of the extended weekend, and went on to gross close to Rs 99.7 crore in India in its first week.

Frontier 2 (2026)

A frame from Border 2.

Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty star in Border 2 opened at around Rs 32 crore on day 1, backed by strong advance bookings and festive momentum, and showed clear bullish momentum over the long weekend. In just three days, the film crossed the 100 crore mark worldwide. Strong word of mouth, mass appeal on single screens and emotional connect are expected to help Border 2 sustain its run.