‘Border 2’ movie review: Sunny Deol roars in this all-purpose paean to 1971’s unsung heroes

As Dhurandhar continues to tell cinegoers that Pakistan’s deep state views Hindus as pushovers, Border 2 arrives to underscore that the 1971 War stemmed from the neighbour’s belief that Indians are meek until confronted by Sunny Deol on the western front.

A standalone sequel to J.P. Dutta’s Border (1997), the film weaponises nostalgia into pride-pumping cinema. Director Anurag Singh honours the original’s emotional patriotism and amplifies the scale for a generation raised on drone-led battles seen on television.

A still from ‘Border 2’
| Photo Credit:
T-series

Singh’s screenplay (co-written with Sumit Arora) weaves together multi-front battles—Shakargarh bulge, Srinagar air defence, Arabian Sea naval ops—and the personal arcs of Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra heroes: Colonel Hoshiar Singh (Varun Dhawan), Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon (Diljit Dosanjh), and Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla (Ahan Shetty as M.S. Rawat). Within the mainstream framework that demands bombast rather than nuance, Anurag imbues the spectacle with soul, pausing to reveal the enduring grief war inflicts on families and the heavy toll it takes on the survivors, underscoring the value of safeguarding faith in humanity even amidst profound loss.

However, the narrative structure lacks novelty, as it follows the tested formula of tracking the camaraderie and backstories of the four bravehearts before cutting to action on the battlefront. The build-up feels laboured, as it takes a long time to get us to the war zone, and then rushes past the crucial battles that define the 1971 War.

Varun and Diljit look overage competing in the academy — earnest, yet visibly struggling to fit into fatigues. No jacket or airbrushing hides the miscasting. Ahan, meanwhile, seems tasked with recycling nostalgia for his father, Suniel Shetty, in his original role. The moving conversation between younger soldiers Paramvir Cheema and Vansh Bhardwaj is far more effective, bringing tears, while Mona Singh touches as the classic soldier’s mother, and Sonam Bajwa impresses in her brief scenes with Diljit. Yet, every time the narrative flows, the mood is abruptly broken. The original’s emotional weight lay in its back stories; here, Medha Rana and Varun create a fancy-dress sketch, despite all the sher-o-shayari and coded gender equality on paper.

Diljit Dosanjh in ‘Border 2’
| Photo Credit:
T-series

When the focus shifts to war, neither the Indian nor the Pakistani war room discussions look plausible. The focus is on bombastic dialogues and punchlines. While they pump adrenaline, the lack of regard for the situation and protocol irks. The scenes of hand-to-hand combat are rousing, and the use of grenades is impressive, but coming after 120 Bahadur and Ikkis, the battle scenes and action choreography feel more instinctive than planned. The VFX, particularly in the naval conflict, looks dated and jaded for the times we live in.

It’s the music that makes you ignore the imperfections and lack of originality. The makers rehash the melodic texture of Dutta’s film, yet it works. Anu Malik’s ‘Sandese Aate Hain’ gives goosebumps, and ‘Jaate Hue Lamhon’ still stops you in your tracks.

And then there is Sunny Deol to steady the uneven storytelling. As Lt. Col. Fateh Singh Kaler, loosely inspired by Major General Hardev Singh Kaler, Sunny shapes history in his own image, while others struggle to embody real-life characters. Credited as Dharmendra’s son, he is the emotional core and the commanding force of the war drama, showing that bravery is anchored in pain and duty. His performance distinguishes genuine patriotism from jingoism, and he makes logic seem unnecessary as he crosses the minefield with his swagger. On the battlefield, his war cry feels as if it reaches Lahore in real time; as a grieving father, his restraint gives the role authenticity, making the character feel lived-in, not performative.

Border 2 is currently running in theatres