Film: Border 2
Rating: 2/5
Cast: Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty, Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Medha Rana, Anya Singh, Anurag Arora, Paramvir Cheema, Guneet Sandhu, Vansh Bharadwaj
Cinematography: Anshul Chobey
Music (Background Score): John Stewart Eduri
Songs: Anu Malik, Mithoon, Sachet–Parampara, Vishal Mishra, Gurmoh
Editing: Manish More
Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishna Kumar, J.P. Dutta, Nidhi Dutta
Director: Anurag Singh
Release Date: 23 January 2026
The film 'Border' created waves in the hearts of Indian audiences and at the box office in 1997. Now, its sequel has arrived, and the anticipation around it is understandably strong. Viewers are eager to see how effectively Border 2 taps into nostalgia, how closely it emulates the original, and whether it succeeds in creating its own identity.
This review explores the film’s central theme, narrative flow, and emotional impact, while examining how well it balances homage to the classic with a contemporary cinematic approach.
Story:
Much before the Indo-Pak war of 1971, Lt. Col. Fateh Singh Kaler (Sunny Deol) trains officers and soldiers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force at the National War Academy. There, three officers who train under him and belong to different forces form a strong bond of friendship.
They are Hoshiar Singh Dahiya (Varun Dhawan) from the Army, Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon (Diljit Dosanjh) from the Air Force, and M.S. Rawat (Ahan Shetty) from the Navy.
Though they engage in playful rivalry during training, they eventually coordinate with one another during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
How they cooperate on the battlefield, lead their respective forces, and display courage and valor forms the core of the narrative.
Artistes’ Performances:
Sunny Deol reappears in this sequel as an actor, though not as a direct continuation of his character from Border (1997). He delivers his best once again. His trademark war cries, powerful dialogue delivery, and action episodes evoke nostalgia, and he convincingly looks strong despite his real age. His screen presence adds significant value to the film.
Varun Dhawan, who plays Major Hoshiar Singh, is competent but does not leave a lasting impact. Since the character represents a Param Vir Chakra awardee, the arc, performance, and conclusion could have been more inspiring and heroic. Although Varun attempts to embody the role, the writing and presentation prove to be a setback.
Diljit Dosanjh impresses with a convincing performance. He looks natural in the Air Force uniform and handles the emotional drama effectively.
Ahan Shetty strongly reminds one of his father, both in appearance and body language, especially while recreating scenes reminiscent of Border.
Mona Singh, as Fateh Singh’s wife, delivers a fine performance, particularly in the flashback sequence involving her son’s death and the post-interval funeral scene.
Inderjit Boparai, who plays Nirmal’s sister, looks graceful on screen. Sonam Bajwa, as Nirmal’s wife, is also effective, with both actresses making an impact despite limited screen time.
Anya Singh, as Hoshiar’s wife, delivers an adequate performance.
Technical Excellence:
Coming to technical excellence, the music is okay. The replication of older songs shows a lack of ability to create something outstanding on its own.
Both Sandese Aate Hai and O Jaate Hai Lamho are repeated with tweaked lyrics. While they are fine, they are built largely on the foundation of the original artists, with very little creative contribution.
The new songs composed for this film are decent. The background score is just adequate and not particularly outstanding.
Cinematography, VFX, and other technical aspects work well. However, the editing could have been sharper, as the personal stories portion felt unnecessarily long.
Highlights:
Nostalgia created by the classic songs
Drawbacks:
Clichéd drama
Heavy on emotion, lacking intelligence
Dragged episodes
Lack of originality
Cringe-worthy and repetitive emotional moments
Analysis:
The film Border was an emotion in 1997 because it was among the first large-scale war films made on Indian screens. Its multi-starrer appeal, the personal stories of each officer and the culmination of human relationships, patriotism and duty were received as pure emotional magic.
However, repeating the same formula without sufficient creativity cannot recreate the same impact and that is the fundamental problem with this film. By following the same pattern and template, the emotions feel outdated, forced and repetitive.
Several moments lack originality and turn cringe-worthy rather than nostalgic. Ahan Shetty’s character, who appears almost dead, suddenly opening his eyes and shouting “Maa Shakti” clearly imitates Suniel Shetty’s iconic scene from Border (1997).
Similarly, the sequence where a tank points its barrel at Sunny Deol toward the climax is a direct repetition of the original. Another copied moment is the Pakistani soldier surrendering to Sunny Deol, revealing his superior’s plans and pleading for mercy, which again mirrors the older film.
In contrast, some scenes are genuinely touching. The moment where Hoshiar Singh’s newlywed wife seeks blessings from her deceased father-in-law’s uniform, and the emotional exchange between two soldiers where one mourns his mother while the other celebrates the birth of a daughter, reflect maturity in writing and emotional depth.
What pains informed viewers the most is the treatment of Major Hoshiar Singh’s character. A real-life Param Vir Chakra awardee who survived the war, his valor deserved a powerful on-screen celebration. Instead, in an attempt to elevate Sunny Deol’s character, Hoshiar Singh, played by Varun Dhawan, is reduced and shown as if he were saved by another officer.
Historical records clearly document his exceptional bravery, which earned him the PVC. At the very least, depicting the real character receiving the Param Vir Chakra in the climax could have elevated the film emotionally and served as a true tribute. Although the makers attempt to portray his heroic battle, excessive cinematic liberties dilute its impact toward the end.
If the makers did not obtain permission from the families of the officers portrayed in the film to depict certain aspects of their lives, then the real character names should not have been used at all, and the story should have remained fictional. Using original names without offering a respectful and accurate tribute is inappropriate and ethically questionable.
Another questionable choice in the climax is the sudden appearance of the souls of characters played by Akshaye Khanna, Suniel Shetty, and others from Border (1997). Their inclusion feels abrupt and confusing, blurring the line between cinematic universe and the narrative reality.
Bottom Line: Outdated
