Border 2 review: Sunny Deol’s commanding screen presence elevates this serviceable big-screen spectacle!

Anurag Singh’s ambitious multi-front sequel trades the raw emotional grit of the original for a high-octane, crowd-pleasing extravaganza.

As cinegoers, we have now grown used to witnessing uniform clad heroes dismantle the enemies and shout passionate slogans over a background score that oozes raw emotions, every Friday! This week, it was time to experience Anurag Singh’s Border 2. A spiritual successor to JP Dutta’s OG masterpiece, the film is a serviceable follow-up that thrives on Sunny Deol’s roaring screen presence and pure mass appeal even though it doesn’t quite match the emotional grit or the edge-of-the-seat intensity that made the original a classic. 

Based on the 1971 Indo-Pak War, Border 2 moves the action beyond Longewala to present the multi-front battles fought with immaculate coordination between the Indian Army, Navy and the Airforce. While Singh retains the pulse of the original, the sequel caters to the popular sentiments on a canvas that is grander in scale and ambition.

Just as the ‘triumph against all odds’ trope is at the heart of every war story, Border 2 presents how the defence forces neutralized threats even when considerably outnumbered - be it in the Battle of Basantar on the ground, air clashes over Srinagar or naval face-offs in the Arabian Sea. The story follows three fearless officers -Hoshiyar Singh (Varun Dhawan), Nirmaljit Singh (Diljit Dosanjh) and Mahendra Rawat (Ahan Shetty) representing the Army, Air Force, and Navy as they showcase exemplary courage when enemy attacks threaten the nation from all directions. 

Also Read: Why JP Dutta's Border still remains the Bible of war films in India!

Border 2 succeeds in offering its story a strong emotional grounding - an element that elevates films from mere action spectacles to competent patriotic sagas. The first half of the film, despite being unevenly paced, is invested in showcasing the academy days of the soldiers where they are mentored by Fateh Singh (Sunny Deol). Their camaraderie, competitive spirit and banters coupled with intercuts to their personal lives lend the film some tender moments and humanize the story, preventing it from becoming a bland, war extravaganza. 

Action is the strongest point of the film. The intense tank encounters, thrilling hand-to-hand combat, the visually stunning aerial dogfights and naval clashes have been choreographed and executed with impressive flair. The sequences come across as fresh and crisply edited set-pieces that are easy to follow and refrain from unnecessary slow-mos or over-dramatic cinematography. The ariel combat sequence featuring Diljit Dosanjh are the most visually stunning action pieces of the film and, despite some patchy VFX work, largely deliver a convincing big-screen experience.

Having said that, Sunny Deol remains the soul of Border 2. As Fateh Singh, he shoulders the film with his commanding screen presence, thunderous voice and the brooding intensity with which he portrays the no-nonsense officer and delivers some crowd pleasing dialogue that are a treat to watch. While Varun Dhawan and Ahan Shetty are sincere in their roles, the biggest delight is Diljit Dosanjh’s charming presence and swag in his combat sequences. Female characters, essayed by Mona Singh, Medha Rana, Sonam Bajwa, and Anya Singh, too lend decent support in their limited screen-time and add emotional depth and tenderness to the narrative. While Border is widely remembered for its soulful music, its predecessor pales slightly in comparison in this regard, while the new ‘Sandese Aate Hai’ hits the right emotional notes, the rest are strictly passable.  

While the film delivers on the big screen spectacle, it isn’t without its shortcomings - the pacing feels uneven at times, the narrative follows a predictable curve and the song placements feel a bit too abrupt for a high-stakes war zone. The CGI too is largely underwhelming and the war drama lacks nuances and is predictably straight forward. Nonetheless, Border 2 remains an impressive theater experience that succeeds on its leading man’s legacy and some thrilling combat sequences, even if it lacks that grounded realism that made the 1997 original a timeless classic.

Border 2 is now playing in theatres near you!