Border 2: Nostalgia, Nationalism, and the Weight of Legacy

I watched Border 2 earlier today. I must admit that I was not particularly impressed by the trailer, and my reservations were many.

The first was the casting. Varun Dhawan and Ahan Shetty are, in my view, not among the strongest actors of their generation. In fact they do not even come remotely close, though I liked Varun in 'October' and 'Badlapur'. I feared that even if the movie and storyline was compelling, weak performances could dilute its impact. 

My second concern was more fundamental. I am not a big fan of sequels that are made to cash-on the success of the 'original'. This felt like one of those cases. Sunny Deol, after a long time, witnessed significant success with Gadar 2 (again, not even remotely as good as original Gadar) and he and everyone else wanted to use the opportunity. Border 2 made a lot of sense and they went for it. Whether it would translate into a good cinematic product was uncertain.

The third concern was Sunny Deol himself. At 68, playing a Lieutenant Colonel is not easy to pull off convincingly. I had no doubt about his ability to bring intensity and emotional energy to the role - few can do that better - but age is a reality, especially when portraying a serving combat officer.

Despite all this, there was one thing I was absolutely certain about: I would watch Border 2, and I would watch it on the big screen.

When the original Border released in 1997, I was seventeen. I grew up in army cantonments, surrounded by officers and army kids, and I wanted to join the army myself. I watched Border on 'First Day, First Show' - and then again the second day first show, and the third day first show. Seems I used to be quite busy in afternoons and evenings!! 

The film was not cinematic genius, but it was raw, energetic, unapologetically patriotic, and full of Pakistan-bashing. 

Also, this was before multiplexes became the norm. Watching a film like Border in a single-screen theatre in a small town was a completely different experience. The audience whistled, clapped, shouted slogans, hurled abuses at Pakistan, and roared “Bharat Mata ki Jai” It was electric - comparable to watching a limited-overs cricket match at Eden Gardens (Kolkata) or Chinnaswamy (Bengaluru) or Chepauk (Chennai). In contrast, watching such films in multiplexes today feels like watching Test cricket at Lord’s. Audience is civilized and restrained and atmosphere is quite.....dead. Later, I watched Border for the fourth time on the big screen, and the experience was particularly special as it was in a military theatre, surrounded by an army unit.  

Out of respect for that legacy, I wanted to experience Border 2 in a theatre, regardless of my initial disappointment with the trailer.

So, how was the experience?

The film is not for purists. It takes several creative liberties in order to further glorify the soldiers and heighten dramatic effect. It is inspired by real incidents and real heroes, but not all portrayals are historically precise. 

• Sunny Deol plays Lt. Col. Fateh Singh Kler - a fictional character believed to be inspired by Brigadier Hardev Singh Kler, MVC, who later retired as a Major General. 
• Diljit Dosanjh portrays Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC (1945-1971), whose story was one of the primary reasons I wanted to watch the movie. Sekhon is a towering inspiration. As I have mentioned in an earlier blog, while I deeply admire all military heroes - especially gallantry award recipients - Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon is one of the three I find particularly remarkable. Flying Officer Sekhon attained martyrdom on 14 December 1971 while defending Indian airspace during the Indo-Pak War. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest gallantry award, and remains the only officer of the Indian Air Force to have received this honour. Confronted with overwhelming odds, Sekhon displayed exceptional courage and composure, choosing to engage the enemy rather than withdraw. In a lone defensive action, he disrupted and repelled a Pakistan Air Force attack, forcing multiple enemy Sabre aircraft to disengage. His determined resistance significantly blunted the assault and safeguarded vital assets. Sekhon's extraordinary courage and flying skills earned him praise even from the opposing side. The PAF pilot who eventually shot him down, Salim Baig Mirza, is reported to have later praised his opponent's valor in an article, leading to the expression, "some enemies are also respectable".
• Varun Dhawan plays Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya, PVC (1936-1998). Major Hoshiar Singh was my father’s instructor in 1975 at the Indian Military Academy (Dehradun) and later retired as a Colonel. He is celebrated for his extraordinary bravery and leadership during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, notably in the Battle of Jarpal. He captured a heavily fortified enemy position and, despite severe injuries, successfully repelled multiple counter-attacks. Leading from the front and refusing evacuation until the ceasefire, he inspired his troops to victory and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. His valor earned him the Param Vir Chakra, cementing his legacy as a legendary war hero.
• Ahan Shetty essays the role of Lieutenant Commander Mahender Singh Rawat, inspired by Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla, MVC (1926-1971), who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second-highest wartime gallantry award. Captain Mulla displayed exceptional bravery during the 1971 Indo-Pak War as commanding officer of INS Khukri. When the ship was fatally damaged, he refused to abandon it, ensuring the safety of his crew first. He went down with his ship, exemplifying supreme leadership, sacrifice, and devotion to duty.

Yes, several scenes are fictionalized and inconsistent with strict military history. Did that spoil the movie? No, I enjoyed it.

Yes, the war sequences are lengthy, but understandably so. The filmmakers wanted to showcase the heroism of multiple military icons, and that demands screen time. Performances across the board are commendable - including those of Varun Dhawan and Ahan Shetty, who pleasantly surprised me. The makers ensured several connections - in terms of character names, dialogues, songs - with the original Border and I particularly enjoyed those parts. 

Some scenes were quite emotional, even tear-jerking. Perhaps they may not affect everyone the same way, but having seen the lives of military personnel up close, many moments resonated deeply with me. To my embarrassment, the tears did not go unnoticed - my wife on my right and a dear friend on my left both saw them. My wife even handed me a tissue, making matters worse! Its okay, grown men are allowed to cry - secretly, in a dark theatre, hoping to go unnoticed.

Overall, Border 2 is not a brilliant film. It is lengthy, and takes more than a few creative liberties. Yet, it deserves to be watched. It makes a sincere effort to bring to the mainstream audience the stories of several military heroes - some of whom are not widely known outside defence circles. For that intent alone, the film deserves appreciation. It may not match both - the Indian military history as well as the legacy of the original Border - but it respectfully salutes it. Sometimes, that is reason enough.