Border 2 review: Sunny Deol screams, evokes patriotism, pays homage to 'mitti ke bete' [reactions]

Republic Day is around the corner, and like every year, cinephiles revisit the 1997 OG Border, starring Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Suniel Shetty, Akshaye Khanna, Puneet Issar, and Sudesh Berry. Now, almost three decades later, JP Dutta is back with a heart-wrenching sequel, Border 2. While the film features a brand-new cast, Sunny Deol remains the constant.

The original film, based on the India–Pakistan War of 1971, was a massive box office success. After 29 years, its sequel, Border 2, has finally hit the big screens.

About the film

Border 2 begins with the introduction of all four lead characters and then moves into a flashback. The sequel once again revolves around the 1971 war, showing that while tensions were rising in East Pakistan, the neighboring country believed it could attack India from the western front. However, the Indian Army (Sunny Deol as Lt Col Fateh Singh Kaler and Varun Dhawan as Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya), the Indian Navy (Ahan Shetty as Lt Cdr M. S. Rawat), and the Indian Air Force (Diljit Dosanjh as Fg Offr Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon) are fully prepared to counter Pakistan and defeat its mission.

What worked and what didn't

The first half of the film is a perfect package; it has solid action sequences, a touch of comedy, romance, drama, and several emotional moments. The movie isn't solely patriotic but also pays homage to the Indian Army and soldiers who laid down their lives to safeguard the country. It doesn't just portray war but also highlights the turmoil families go through. The female characters are not merely shown as wives; they play pivotal roles in the narrative.

The war sequences are shot effectively and powerfully. However, netizens have not been impressed with Varun Dhawan's performance. While his acting is sober, many felt it failed to pack a punch. Diljit Dosanjh delivers a powerful performance, while Sunny Deol's roars and screams in certain scenes were not appreciated by all.

Several scenes appear stretched and messy. However, the song Ghar Kab Aaoge, towards the climax, evokes nostalgia. Another track, Mitti Ke Bete, is deeply emotional and is sure to leave viewers teary-eyed.

Why aren't cinephiles happy with Border's sequel?

However, several viewers pointed out that the film's length could be a major deal breaker. Some felt that unnecessary elements, including love stories and wedding sequences for almost every soldier, could have been avoided.

A user wrote, "It is a war movie and should have been kept that way. Unnecessary things have been added, and the editing is not up to the mark. The movie could have been much shorter.."

Another mentioned, "I missed watching Akshaye Khanna in Border. Obviously, it is the Dhurandhar effect."

The third one mentioned, "Dhurandhar set the bar very high with its clear storytelling and flawless execution. Unfortunately, Border 2 had no proper flow, lacked clarity, and turned out to be a below-average experience. Only Sunny Deol Energy felt good."

Among the female leads, Mona Singh gets the strongest role and shines throughout. Medha Rana and Sonam Bajwa are good in their respective roles, while Ananya Singh doesn't get much scope. Supporting actors Anurag Arora, Paramvir Cheema, Neeta Mohindra, Ishika Gagneja, Azad Chauhan, Vansh Bhardwaj, and others deliver commendable performances.

Sunny Deol's emotional tribute to late father, Dharmendra

A section of fans got emotional while watching the film, while others found it lengthy and overstretched. One moment that was widely loved by cinephiles was Sunny Deol's heartfelt tribute to his late father; his name appears in the credits as "Sunny Deol (Dharmendra ji ka beta)".

The story of Border 2 is written by JP Dutta's daughter, Nidhi Dutta, while the screenplay is penned by Sumit Arora and Anurag Singh. The film is directed by Anurag Singh, known for helming Akshay Kumar's Kesari (2019).