Patriotism in its purest form is a feeling that is hard to put into words. It’s a feeling that either occurs within you, or it doesn’t. It is like unwavering faith in God – one-sided and deep. Cinema often tries to touch this feeling, but does every film reach that ‘heart’? In films like ‘Lal Singh Chadha’, the logic of putting humanity above national pride is understandable to the mind, but perhaps not to the heart of a true patriot. With this hope, when we sit down to watch ‘Border 2’, the heart wants to feel the old warmth and yearning of that selfless love for one’s country.
Spiritual series and altered emotions
Directed by Anurag Singh, the film is a ‘spiritual sequel’ to the 1997 classic blockbuster ‘Border’. This film has come in an era where the definition of patriotism is getting confused somewhere between the walls of religion, caste and race. The story of the film covers the period of Indo-Pakistan war from 1961 to 1971. It has big stars, huge scale of war and everything a great movie should have, but one thing is missing – true emotion. Let’s know the disadvantages and advantages of Border 2…
Screenplay Confusion: A story caught between bromance and melodrama
Written by Sumit Arora and Anurag Singh, the film’s screenplay tries to run in multiple directions at once and this proves to be its biggest weakness. Much of the film looks like a ‘War Training Academy’ drama instead of showing the seriousness of war. The lack of depth in the script turns it into a tiresome experience.
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In this part of the film we see:
Diljit Dosanjh (Nirmal Jeet Singh Sekhon): Diljit brings his energy as a cheerful and vivacious cop, but the script limits him to mere entertainment.
Varun Dhawan (Hoshiar Singh Dahiya): Varun’s character ‘Dul’ is a soldier, whom Diljit’s character tries to inspire through friendship.
Ahan Shetty (MS Rawat): Ahaan is seen as a supporting link to complete this ‘bromance’ (mutual friendship between boys).
The whole thing feels more like a ‘staged melodrama’ than a serious war movie. While the audience expected border challenges and mental tension, the film mostly revolves around internecine conflicts and superficial friendships. It seems as if the makers have resorted to these lighter moments to drag the story along before hitting the battlefield, which slows down the pace of the film.
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Borderlands 2: An Introductory Review and Analysis
A confluence of nostalgia and patriotism
‘Border’ is not just a film but an emotion for Indians. ‘Border 2’ promises to carry on the same legacy. Anurag Singh (of Kesari fame), who is considered an expert in bringing the nuances of war to the screen, is handling the direction this time in place of JP Dutta.
Star Cast: Old Passion, New Blood
The biggest strength of the film is its casting: After the success of Sunny Deol’s ‘Tara Singh’, Sunny Paaji is all set to roar once again in a military uniform. It is hard to imagine ‘Border’ without them. With the addition of these two stars Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh, this film has become very popular among the youth. Diljit’s association will double the film’s reach in the Punjab belt. The film has also given space to new faces like Ahan Shetty, so that the story remains fresh.
Story and background (Battle of Longewala continues?)
While the first film was based on the 1971 Battle of Longewala, there is talk that the sequel may introduce aspects of the same war that were not included in the first film, or may introduce some more historical heroics.
Technical side (VFX and Music)
VFX: Today’s technology is much more advanced than it was in 1997. The battle sequences in ‘Border 2’ are expected to be made more original and spectacular.
Music: It will be a big challenge to recreate the magic of ‘Sandesh Aye Hai’. However, producers can resort to some iconic tunes for patriotic songs.
strength
The strongest aspect of the film is its ‘brand name’ and the return of Sunny Deol. The landmark success of ‘Gadar 2’ has proved that audiences are still excited to see Sunny Deol in his old tough looks and patriotic roles. Moreover, the inclusion of stars like Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh in the film’s star cast is a masterstroke; This not only gives the film a ‘youth appeal’ but also strengthens its grip on the North Indian and Punjab markets. Due to modern technology and better budget, the war scenes are expected to be at the level of international films this time, which will give the audience a great cinematic experience.
Weaknesses
The biggest challenge for this film is the ‘burden of comparison’. 1997’s ‘Border’ is a great movie, whose songs, dialogues and emotions are still alive in people’s hearts. It will be a tough task for the makers to recreate that magic and live up to the huge expectations of the audience.
Another risk is the ‘repetition’ of the story; If the film just used the same old formula and too much melodrama, modern audiences might dismiss it. Also JP for director Anurag Singh. Retaining Dutta’s signature style and emotional depth that immortalized ‘Border’ will be a big test.