Director: Anurag Singh 
Cast: Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty, Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh, Medha Rana 
Duration: 199 Minutes
 
Over the last few years, Hindi cinema has been saturated with war films, often relying on the same narrative formulas and bombastic patriotism. Border 2, the spiritual successor to JP Dutta’s iconic 1997 war epic Border, arrives in this landscape, helmed by Anurag Singh, who previously made Kesari (2019). While the original focused on the Battle of Longewala, the sequel expands the canvas, tackling India’s security threats across land, air, and sea during the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
 
The film’s sprawling 199-minute runtime introduces a new generation of soldiers: Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya (Varun Dhawan), Navy officer MS Rawat (Ahan Shetty), and Air Force officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon (Diljit Dosanjh), each balancing personal lives with patriotic duty. Sunny Deol returns as Lt. Col. Fateh Singh Kaler, bridging the two films and delivering his trademark intense, bombastic presence. Dhawan and Dosanjh bring levity and emotional nuance to their roles, particularly in moments that highlight family bonds and personal sacrifice amid the chaos of war.
 
Yet, Border 2 suffers from an overreliance on familiar tropes. The film’s VFX often feel clunky, and its depiction of Pakistani soldiers borders on caricature, with former President Yahya Khan portrayed almost comically. The movie’s relentless battle sequences, heavy on adrenaline but light on subtlety, underscore a hypernationalistic tone that may feel outdated to contemporary audiences, especially when compared to recent war dramas that humanize all sides.
 
Where the film shines is in its fleeting, poignant moments. Dhawan’s character sending a cryptic letter to his wife, or Dosanjh’s interactions with his mother, remind viewers that war is more than just bloodshed—it’s about human emotion, sacrifice, and moral conflict. These glimpses of depth prevent Border 2 from becoming just another flag-waving spectacle, though they are unfortunately sporadic.
 
Sunny Deol’s performance remains as forceful as ever, echoing his iconic presence from the first Border. However, his larger-than-life persona also highlights the film’s central issue: while technically competent and emotionally sporadic, Border 2 brings little new to the table. Its legacy may rest less on innovation and more on reaffirming the enduring appeal of patriotic war dramas in Bollywood.
 
Border 2 delivers adrenaline and patriotism in familiar doses, with strong performances from Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh balancing Sunny Deol’s bombast. However, its heavy-handed nationalism, dated tropes, and excessive runtime keep it from fully transcending its genre.