‘Border 2’ review: Needed more firepower
Suhas Sistu
Rating: 2/5
Nearly three decades after Border became a landmark war drama in Indian cinema, Border 2 arrives with heavy expectations and a powerful legacy to live up to. Headlined by Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahaan Shetty, the sequel revisits the 1971 India–Pakistan war, aiming to blend patriotism, emotion, and large-scale action for a new generation. Let’s see how it fares at box-office.
Story
Set against the backdrop of the 1971 war, the story follows close friends Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon (Diljit Dosanjh), Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya (Varun Dhawan), and Lt. Cdr. Mahendra S. Rawat (Ahaan Shetty), who reunite briefly at a wedding before duty calls. With most Indian forces deployed to East Pakistan, the trio is tasked with defending the western front under the leadership of their former mentor, Lt. Col. Fateh Singh Kaler (Sunny Deol). As Pakistani forces advance across Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir, the men must rely on courage, strategy, and brotherhood to hold the line.
Performances
Sunny Deol delivers a solid, authoritative performance, making a thunderous entry that instantly lifts the film. His dialogue delivery and screen presence remain his biggest strengths, especially in the interval block. Varun Dhawan surprises with a restrained yet intense portrayal, silencing doubts raised by the promotional material. Diljit Dosanjh brings sincerity and emotional warmth to his role, while Ahaan Shetty shows promise but is let down by poorly staged action sequences. The supporting cast, however, is underutilised.
Technicalities
Director Anurag Singh handles the first half competently, focusing on friendships, light humour, and emotional backstories that work well. However, the second half falters badly. The war sequences—central to the Border franchise—feel artificial and repetitive, closely resembling the original without offering freshness. Weak VFX severely damage the impact, particularly during aerial and water-based combat scenes. The editing is loose, stretching the runtime unnecessarily, and the emotional depth seen in the original film is largely missing during crucial moments. While the music supports the narrative, the overall technical execution falls short of the film’s ambition.
Analysis
Border 2 delivers strong performances from Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan and an engaging first half, but underwhelming war sequences and subpar visuals dilute its overall impact. The film opens on a promising note, it struggles to sustain its impact where it matters most. Despite its powerful brand value and patriotic intent, the film never fully rises to the emotional and technical heights set by its predecessor.
