Border 2 (2026): Sunny Deol Saves This Overlong War Drama

Border 2 brings back the war drama that made the 1997 film such a hit. Sunny Deol returns in uniform, and this time he’s joined by Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. The film is directed by Anurag Singh and released on January 23, 2026, right before Republic Day weekend.

The story takes place during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. This sequel tries to do something different by showing all three branches of the armed forces – Army, Air Force, and Navy – fighting together. The cast also includes Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh, and Medha Rana in important roles.

The Story

The plot follows three friends who train together at the National War Academy. They meet in 1961 and stay close for years. Diljit Dosanjh plays an Air Force officer, Varun Dhawan is in the Army, and Ahan Shetty serves in the Navy. All three look up to their trainer, Sunny Deol’s character, Lt. Col. Fateh Singh.

When war breaks out, each friend goes to a different battle zone. The story shows how they handle the pressure of combat while dealing with personal issues back home. Their wives and families make difficult sacrifices, which the film explores in detail during the first half.

The second half shifts to the actual war. Pakistan plans attacks on multiple fronts, and India’s forces have to defend with limited resources. Most troops are fighting in East Pakistan, leaving the western border short-handed. This creates tension and raises the stakes for our main characters.

How the Actors Performed

Sunny Deol is the real star here. His performance brings intensity and emotion that the film desperately needs. Even at this stage of his career, he delivers powerful scenes that stay with you. The emotional moments where he deals with loss hit hard, and his presence commands every scene he’s in.

Varun Dhawan surprised me. After all the criticism during promotions, he actually does a good job. His character feels genuine, and he handles the action scenes well. I found myself rooting for him, which I didn’t expect going in.

Diljit Dosanjh tries hard, maybe too hard. His performance feels a bit forced at times. The Air Force gets less screen time overall, which doesn’t help. Ahan Shetty has it even worse – his character barely gets developed. For someone who’s supposed to be one of the main trio, he disappears for long stretches.

The women in the film do well with what they’re given. Mona Singh and Sonam Bajwa bring heart to the family scenes. But honestly, their roles are limited to being supportive wives, which feels like a missed opportunity.

What Worked

The first half really connects emotionally. The friendship between the three officers feels real, and their personal stories draw you in. I appreciated how the film takes time to show soldiers as normal people with families and fears. This makes the war scenes more impactful later.

The music is excellent. Songs like Ghar Kab Aaoge and the recreated Sandese Aate Hain work perfectly. They bring nostalgia while adding fresh energy. Hindustan Meri Jaan is another standout that fits the patriotic mood without feeling overdone.

The ground battle scenes deliver solid action. The scale is impressive, and the final 15 minutes create genuine excitement. The film shows respect for armed forces without turning soldiers into cardboard heroes. They bleed, they fear, they sacrifice – and that human element matters.

What Needed Work

The 3 hour 17 minute runtime is brutal. The film drags in multiple places, especially in the second half. Some scenes repeat the same emotional beats, and it gets tiring. A tighter edit would’ve helped tremendously.

The VFX quality is inconsistent. Land battles look good, but the naval and air combat scenes are disappointing. The warship sequences in particular look fake and break the immersion. For a big-budget film, this is surprising and frustrating.

I found the story balance off. Too much time goes to romance and family drama before we get to actual war. Nearly two-thirds of the film builds up to conflict that feels rushed when it finally arrives. Some viewers will find this frustrating.

The character development isn’t equal. Army guys get full backstories while Air Force and Navy characters feel like afterthoughts. This creates an imbalance that weakens the multi-front war concept. Ahan Shetty particularly gets shortchanged despite being marketed as a lead.

The film takes historical liberties that bothered me. Small details like wrong weapons for the time period add up. The portrayal of Pakistani soldiers as one-dimensional villains feels lazy. More complexity would’ve elevated the story.

What Critics Said

Rotten Tomatoes shows 73% positive reviews, which reflects the mixed response. Taran Adarsh gave it 4.5/5 stars, calling it outstanding and emotionally charged. Bollywood Hungama also rated it 4.5/5, predicting it would become a textbook for future war films.

Filmfare gave 3.5/5, noting it works better as tribute than reinvention. Hindustan Times rated it 3.5/5 as well, saying the excesses are hard to ignore but so is the sincerity. The Times of India settled on 3/5, calling it solid and emotionally resonant despite not redefining the genre.

NDTV awarded 3 stars, commenting that the film walks a tightrope with jingoistic elements. Lower ratings came from India TV with 2/5, criticizing weak storyline and forced patriotism. 123Telugu gave 2.75/5, pointing out below-par VFX and stretched second half.

What Audiences Thought

IMDb ratings sit at 7.4/10, showing decent public approval. Many viewers loved the emotional journey and Sunny Deol’s commanding performance. Fans appreciated how Varun Dhawan exceeded expectations after facing online trolling.

But negative reactions were loud too. Several viewers called it boring and repetitive. Complaints focused on excessive romance, borrowed dialogues from the original, and weak screenplay. Some people walked out during the second half, finding the war scenes mediocre despite modern filmmaking tools.

The film divided audiences between those seeking emotional patriotic cinema and those wanting authentic, gripping war action. Your enjoyment will depend on which camp you fall into.

My Final Take

Border 2 has heart, no question. The film clearly wants to honor soldiers and their families, and that sincerity shows through. Sunny Deol delivers a performance worth the ticket price alone, and the music enhances the emotional experience.

But the film stumbles with pacing and balance. The long runtime tests patience, especially when scenes feel repetitive. The technical work is uneven, which is disappointing for such a big production. I wanted tighter storytelling and better VFX, particularly in naval sequences.

The emotional core works. When the film focuses on human stories behind the uniforms, it succeeds. The friendship, sacrifice, and family angles resonate. But when it tries to be a massive war spectacle, it doesn’t quite reach those heights.

I’d recommend it for fans of patriotic cinema and Sunny Deol. If you loved the original Border, you’ll find moments to appreciate here. Just prepare for a long sit and temper expectations about action intensity. The film aims for your heart more than your adrenaline.

Rating: 3.5/5