The most anticipated Indian film of 2026, as per IMDb, is a romantic drama set during the Partition. The year 2026 is a big one for Indian cinema. Dhurandhar 2 started it with a bang for Bollywood and the likes of Ramayana, Alpha, and King looking to extend that winning streak. Telugu cinema has giants like Peddi waiting in the wings, while Yash is returning with Toxic in Kannada. And then there is Jana Nayagan, Vijay’s final film, long delayed and highly anticipated. And yet, as of May 29, it is a simple romantic drama with no superstars in the lead that is the most anticipated Indian title of 2026.A still from Imtiaz Ali's Main Vaapas Aaunga.IMDb’s most anticipated Indian film of 2026Internet Movie Database (IMDb) tracks the most anticipated titles from Indian cinema on its portal. The ranking is determined by the visits to each film’s page on the IMDb site over a given period of time. That gives a film a percentage ratio, indicating how many of the site's total visitors it is the most anticipated by. As of May 29, the number 1 spot on the list belongs to Imtiaz Ali’s romantic drama Main Vaapas Aaunga. The film, which stars Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari, and Vedang Raina, is the first choice of 23.3% of visitors on the site, beating huge titles like Toxic (15.4%) and Hai Jawani To Ishq Hona Hai (13.2%).Main Vaapas Aaunga stars Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari, and Vedang Raina.The film is on top, as its release is around the corner, which naturally increases interest in the title. But even after accounting for that, it beats other upcoming titles such as Varun Dhawan’s Hai Jawani To Ishq Hona Hai, Ram Charan’s Peddi, Madhuri Dixit’s Maa Behen, and Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika’s Cocktail 2. The top 10 also includes Welcome to the Jungle, Baba, Maa Inti Bangaram, and Shri Krishna.Most anticipated Indian films on IMDb as of May 29.Why Ramayana and King are absent from the top 10While Main Vaapas Aaunga sits pretty at the top, big films like Ramayana and King are not in the top 10. That is largely because IMDb’s list is based on real-time popularity. Ramayana is scheduled to release in October, while King will hit the screens in December. The two films are still months away from release, which is why their buzz is comparatively lower as of May-June. The picture will naturally change as the final quarter of 2026 begins.All about Main Vaapas AaungaMain Vaapas Aaunga, directed by Imtiaz Ali, is a romantic drama set during the Partition. The film stars Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, Sharvari, and Naseeruddin Shah. Main Vaapas Aaunga, backed by Applause Entertainment and Window Seat Films, hits the screens on June 12.Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well.