Border 2 is marching ahead with remarkable momentum at the box office, striking a deep emotional chord with audiences across the country. Nearly three decades after J.P. Dutta's iconic Border was first released, the sequel, or the second part, taps into nostalgia while reintroducing the spirit of sacrifice and patriotism that made the original unforgettable. This time, Sunny Deol returns to the battlefield in a new avatar, essaying the role of Lt. Col. Fateh Singh Kaler, bringing with him the same intensity and gravitas that defined the franchise.
While the original film saw characters played by Akshaye Khanna, Suniel Shetty, and Sudesh Berry embrace martyrdom, Border 2 pays tribute to their legacy in a heartfelt manner. The makers ensured that fans were given a moment of remembrance, featuring the trio in special cameo appearances during the film's closing credits, accompanied by Puneet Issar with Mitti Ke Bete playing in the background.
However, a lot of fans kept wondering why Akshaye Khanna was not included in Border 2 despite the massive success of Dhurandhar. In an exclusive conversation with News18, Bhushan Kumar, one of the forces behind Border 2, revealed the reason behind their decision.
Kumar revealed, "You can't make a film like that. It was already scripted. In fact, we shot his portion after Dhurandhar released. The hysteria of the film and Akshaye was already there but we never thought of [profiting from] it. It was never required in the script. It's not like we added him after Dhurandhar released."
This was a clear indication that the makers did not want to take advantage of the current obsessive phase that the Indian audience is in with Khanna.
The popular producer further went on to add, "The same can be said for Suniel Shetty. It's not like we decided to bring them in and seeded them in the script later. They were always supposed to be a part of Border 2 as cameo appearances. I would like to urge everyone to not miss the end credits of the film. That scene featuring the cameos is very emotional."
Director Anurag Singh was quoted saying, "We shot his part on December 10-11. Akshaye is in Border 2 as a tribute to Border. He was a part of the story from the very beginning. And those who stay back after the film ends will get the golden nugget."
Coming to Akshaye Khanna, the actor has had a very successful and controversial beginning to the year. While he has been massively appreciated for his portrayal of Rehman Dakait in Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, there has also been a lot of controversy surrounding the actor's sudden exit from Drishyam 3.
