Border 2 review: Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh’s gripping war drama entertains, despite its length

BDictate 2Director: Anurag SinghCast: Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan ShettyRating: ★★★.5In an epoch henpecked by CGI and william green screens, nostalgia remains the only special effect money cannot buy. It turns a cinema hall into a time machine, where three notes of a 90s hit can make a stadium full of adults feel ten years old, again. Dhurandhar (2025) tapped into this sentiment effectively with its music recently, and Border 2 takes it several notches higher. Not just through its soundtrack, but by bringing back the original force of nature, Sunny Deol.Make no mistake though... This film is not a one-trick pony. You may walk in for Sunny paaji and the timeless Sandese Aate Hain, but there is plenty more that keeps you seated through its three-hour-twenty-minute runtime.Also read: ₹5 crore from morning shows; chasing Dhurandhar, Chhaava">Border 2 review and release live updates: Sunny Deol film earns ₹5 crore from morning shows; chasing Dhurandhar, ChhaavaWhat is the plot of Border 2?Co-produced by JP Dutta, the man who defined mainstream Hindi war films, Border 2 sees Anurag Singh ( theater director of Kesari, another film in the same vein), seated on the director’s chair. The story remains rooted in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, just like the original, but this time the narrative unfolds through three new perspectives: the Indian Army’s Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya (Varun Dhawan), the Indian Navy’s Lt Cdr MS Rawat (Ahan Shetty), and the Indian Air Force’s Fg Offr Nirmal Jit Singh (Diljit Dosanjh), along with their senior, Lt Col Fateh Singh Kaler (Sunny). Their individual journeys and shared sense of duty form the spine of the film.The screenplay by Sumit Arora and Anurag Singh, who also handle the dialogues, is largely on point, especially the first half. The film is neatly divided into two equal sections: the soldiers’ training days and personal lives first, followed by the full-blown war in the second half.Up to the interval, it makes for a gripping watch. Each actor is given ample screen time, and the backstories and banter of the trio- Varun, Diljit and Ahan- keep you invested. Anshul Chobey’s cinematography stands out, whether it is capturing the quiet beauty of the scenic landscapes, or later, the chaos of battle scenes involving tanks and heavy ammunition. Average war scenesThe second half is where my feelings about the film turn conflicted. While the idea of exploring the war through the lens of all three uniformed services is genuinely novel, the execution of the war itself is average at best. The budget and VFX are spent on expanding scale, but that becomes part of the problem. There is simply too much of it. The beats feel familiar, and in places, repetitive. We have seen this grammar of war cinema before. The climax, however, pulls the film back from the brink and redeems much of what precedes it, which means patience post-intermission is rewarded.Performance-wise, you are largely buying a ticket for Sunny Deol, and he does not disappoint. He still has the screen presence, delivering a solid performance both as a family man and a battle-hardened soldier. Those waiting to meme-fy Varun’s performance, will be disappointed. He gives it everything he has, and it shows. The Haryanvi accent is a hit and miss. The chemistry with Medha Rana is wonderful. She is a delight as Dhanvanti, his wife, and their scenes together add genuine emotional weight.Diljit looks like he is having a great time with his role, largely because of how comfortable he seems throughout. The casting of Sonam Bajwa opposite him works beautifully.Ahan Shetty tries hard, but his track is the weakest of the three. That said, he does manage to register his presence. Mona Singh, as Hoshiar’s wife, delivers a stirring performance.Special shoutout to the very apt background score by John Stewart Eduri, and the music by Anu Malik, Mithoon, Vishal Mishra, Sachet Parampara and Gurmoh.Overall, Border 2 is not content with being just another sequel. It wants to make you sit up and salute. While its excesses are hard to ignore, so is its sincerity. The film reaches back into a time when patriotism in cinema was worn unapologetically... When heroes spoke loudly and emotions rang true. And with some genuinely moving moments, Border 2 delivers exactly what it promises: a theatrical experience meant to be felt in a darkened hall, among strangers who momentarily feel like comrades.