Joginder Tuteja lists more 2026 theatre releases in a four-part series.
Naagzilla
Release date: August 14
The big Independence Day weekend has been locked for Kartik Aaryan’s Naagzilla.
The action-fantasy film, backed by Karan Johar, is a major franchise in the making though much depends on how well the first part does at the box office.
Heavy on VFX, Kartik reportedly plays a shape-shifting naag (serpent).
The film has been directed by Mrigdeep Singh Lamba, known for the Fukrey series.
Love & War
Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal come together in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War, one of the biggest films of the year.
This is a period romantic drama set against a war backdrop.
Alpha
Originally supposed to release at Christmas, it was pushed to April 2026, but has been further delayed.
Industry murmurs suggest that the War 2 debacle and the Dhurandhar wave has led to a rethink about how to pitch and market the YRF spy drama starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari.
Cocktail 2
The sequel to 2012’s Cocktail has an all new cast: Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Rashmika Mandanna.
Director Homi Adajania and Producer Dinesh Vijan reunite for this movie.
Haiwaan
Akshay Kumar plays the antagonist to Saif Ali Khan’s hero in Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan.
The Akshay-Priyan duo will also be seen in the horror comedy Bhooth Bangla earlier this year.
Lahore 1947
Producer Aamir Khan is not in any hurry to release Lahore 1947, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Sunny Deol.
Once Sunny’s Border 2 releases, the buzz around this film will probably hot up.
Lag Jaa Gale
Tiger Shroff leads the show in this violent romantic action drama, which sees him in a face-off with Lakshya.
Janhvi Kapoor plays the leading lady.
Yeh Prem Mol Liya
Ayushmann Khurrana is the latest Prem in Sooraj Barjatya’s family universe.
Taking over from Salman Khan, Ayushmann looks perfect as the boy next door.
Sharvari is the leading lady.
Silaa
Harshvardhan Rane delivered big hits in 2025 with Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat and the re-release of Sanam Teri Kasam.
He has started shooting for his next film, Silaa, directed by Omung Kumar of Mary Kom fame.
The first look poster of the film suggests that this is a violent love story.
Sadia Khateeb, who was last seen in the John Abraham starrer The Diplomat, co-stars.
John Abraham-Rohit Shetty’s next
John Abraham gets ready to play Mumbai supercop Rakesh Maria in Rohit Shetty’s next cop film.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
