New Delhi, Feb. 8 -- India has seen a surge of war and patriotic films in recent years that resonated deeply with audiences, but the latest releases have dramatically raised the bar, translating into explosive box-office collections.

Bollywood continues to stick to a nationalist narrative that has found reasonable commercial success, while gradually upping the ante with higher production values, slicker storytelling and stronger music - boosting theatrical footfalls and setting cash registers ringing.

Trade experts and theatre owners say that while recent nationalist hits like Dhurandhar ( Rs.894.45 crore) and Border 2 ( Rs.323.89 crore) lean on a similar template, there is a reason their box-office figures are significantly higher than...