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Border 2 review: Sunny Deol returns in uniform in Anurag Singh’s ambitious war sequel. Emotional, patriotic and overlong, the film balances nostalgia with new-scale storytelling.
Border 2 arrives loud, emotional and unapologetically patriotic. Led by Sunny Deol and supported by Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty, the war drama delivers brotherhood, scale and sincerity, even when it stumbles on length and VFX.
Border 2U/A
4/5
Starring: Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty, Diljit Dosanjh, Sonam Bajwa, Mona Singh, Anya Singh, Medha RanaDirector: Anurag Singh Music: Anu Malik, Mithoon, Sachet–Parampara, Vishal Mishra, Gurmoh
Border 2 Movie Review: Some films don’t gently begin, they arrive with noise, chest-thumping background score and that unmistakable feeling that something big is coming. Border 2 is exactly that kind of film. The moment Sunny Deol steps into the frame in uniform, you know subtlety has left the building. This one wants to roar, salute, make you emotional, and yes, make you feel proud. The expectations were terrifying because Border (1997) isn’t just a movie, it’s a memory. But surprisingly, Border 2 doesn’t survive only on nostalgia. It actually wants to tell a story and mostly, it does a solid job.
Directed by Anurag Singh, the film is set during the 1971 India–Pakistan war but expands the canvas far beyond what the original attempted. Instead of focusing on one post, Border 2 brings together the Army, Air Force and Navy, showing how a combined operation unfolds. At the centre of it all is Sunny Deol’s Lt Col Fateh Singh Kaler, a commanding officer, mentor and emotional anchor to a group of younger soldiers played by Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty.
What really works is how the film doesn’t rush into war. It spends time with these men, their training days, their friendships, the jokes, the bonding, the families waiting back home. By the time the guns go off, these aren’t faceless soldiers. You know them, you’ve laughed with them, and that makes the impact stronger.
The emotional core is where Border 2 scores its biggest win. The camaraderie between the younger actors feels easy and natural. It doesn’t feel written for effect. Sunny Deol, especially, is a pleasant surprise in quieter moments. You expect the rage and thunder, but watching him joke, smile, even tease his men gives the character warmth. When the big speeches finally come, they don’t feel hollow, they feel earned.
Diljit Dosanjh is an absolute delight. He brings charm, humour and emotion without ever making things frivolous. Varun Dhawan is the real surprise here. He is restrained, sincere and far removed from his usual space. This is one of his most grounded performances. Ahan Shetty doesn’t overplay his role and carries himself with quiet confidence. The women, Mona Singh and Medha Rana, don’t get much screen time, but they add emotional stability and warmth whenever they appear.
That said, the film does test your patience at times. It’s long, and while it mostly keeps you invested, there are stretches where you feel the runtime. Some romantic bits linger longer than needed, and a few war sequences could’ve been sharper. The VFX is also uneven. While many action moments work well, certain naval shots don’t look as convincing as the emotion demands. Thankfully, the film isn’t relying only on spectacle, its strength lies in feeling.
Anurag Singh directs the film without irony or clever detachment. He plays it straight, and in today’s climate, that’s a bold choice. The war scenes are easy to follow, emotions aren’t buried under chaos, and the mass moments land exactly where you expect them to. The writing focuses more on brotherhood and duty than heavy political messaging, keeping the film accessible and emotionally driven.
Visually, Border 2 goes big with wide frames, dusty battlefields, aircraft cutting through the sky. It doesn’t reinvent the war-film look, but it uses scale effectively. The music does a lot of heavy lifting emotionally. The recreated versions of Ghar Kab Aaoge and Jaate Hue Lamhon hit straight in the heart, and the background score knows when to rise and when to step back.
Comparing it to Border (1997) is inevitable. The original felt raw and lived-in, powered by simplicity. Border 2 is more polished, louder and far more ambitious. It doesn’t quite recreate the magic of the first, but it doesn’t disrespect it either. Instead, it feels like a modern extension, messier at times, broader in vision, but driven by the same emotional intent.
Border 2 isn’t perfect. It’s indulgent, occasionally overlong and visually uneven in parts. But it’s also sincere, emotional and unapologetically patriotic. It reminds you why war films still work, not because of explosions, but because of the people behind the uniforms.
Watch it on the big screen. Let it overwhelm you a little.
4 out of 5 stars for Border 2.
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January 23, 2026, 15:16 IST
