Film: Border 2 

Cast: Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty, Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh, Medha Rana, Paramvir Cheema

Director: Anurag Singh 

Rating: 2 Moons

Storyline

The story is set against the backdrop of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, where the Indian armed forces are fighting on all three fronts: land, air, and sea. Sunny Deol plays a senior army officer, Lt Col Fateh Singh Kaler, who leads his troops from the front. Varun Dhawan plays Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya, Diljit Dosanjh is Air Force Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, and Ahan Shetty plays Navy Officer Lt Cdr Joseph Noronha. The film attempts to weave together the individual battles of these characters, also showing their families and wives who are left behind, crying, praying, and making sacrifices for the country. 

Acting

Sunny Deol is all sound and fury, but this time he doesn’t seem impactful; instead, he comes across as simply playing himself rather than embodying a character. Varun Dhawan and Ahan Shetty mostly shout and deliver patriotic dialogues in loud voices. Diljit Dosanjh, on the other hand, is decent in his part; he looks fresh and is the only one who somewhat carries the first half on his shoulders. Even the emotional scenes feel artificial. The audience fails to connect with any of the characters because everyone performs with the same energy and in the same tone.

Direction

The film looks staged at several points and the duration is a little too long, making it boring in many places. Director Anurag Singh was under immense pressure to create a sequel to such an iconic film, but he fails to handle it. The direction lacks both sensitivity and a fresh vision, with most scenes either shot in slow motion or overloaded with background music to force emotions. The war is shown only through noise and explosions, without any real human depth. The casting also feels less apt than the first part.

Dialogues

There's a lot of effort put into creating powerful punchlines in the dialogues, but most of the conversations just sound testosterone-fueled. Patriotism is shouted, not felt. There isn't a single dialogue that stays with you or touches your heart. Every now and then, a character starts giving a speech, making the film preachy rather than inspiring.

Music

The film's music is its strongest aspect. There are glimpses of old classic songs, which do evoke some nostalgia. The background score is also effective in some places, but the new songs don't impress much. Overall, the music is good, but even that can't save the entire film. It's the same old formula, just in a new package.

Overall

If you want loud noises, constantly shouting characters, and an overwhelming display of patriotism, then you can watch this film. Otherwise, it's best to cherish the memories of the first ‘Border’.