Broader problems

FILM REVIEWS SACHIN CHATTE

Film: Border 2

Cast: Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty

Directed by: Anurag Singh

Duration: 3hours 19minutes

Rating: **

A well-crafted war film operates on multiple levels – it provides historical context and details about the progression of specific events, incorporates the human aspects of bravery and sacrifice, and ultimately conveys the message that war is pointless.

Regrettably, Border 2, the spiritual successor to Border (1997), fails to meet any of these criteria. If one were to accept the action depicted in this film directed by Anurag Singh, it would require a significant amount of skepticism. In one particular scene, Sunny Deol, portraying Father Singh, runs in slow motion alongside Pakistani tanks, throwing grenades at them and single-handedly destroying them, one after another.

Evidently, our borders are secure, but the same cannot be said about our cinema.

In contrast, consider Ikkis, which was released a few weeks prior – that film presented a compelling narrative that was exceptionally well-executed with a human element. In this instance, patriotism serves as the last refuge for poor storytelling.

The film opens with an introduction to Fateh Singh, the seasoned soldier, with the credits stating ‘Sunny Deol’ (son of Dharmendra). A brief overview of 1971 informs us that the Indian Army was engaged in combat on both the Eastern front along the Bengal border and the Western front, where the film’s action is focused. When a senior General speculates on how the war may be resolved, Fateh Singh passionately declares, “Failsa East mein ya West mein nahi Hoga, faisla yahan hoga”, gesturing towards his heart.

Subsequently, we are introduced to the other characters – Officer Nirmal Jit, (who has been honored with the Param Vir Chakra) portrayed by Diljit Dosanjh, who serves as an aircraft pilot. When his superior mentions that there are only six planes available, which may not suffice, he confidently asserts that six are unnecessary, claiming he can single-handedly defeat the enemy. This type of writing and dialogue diminishes the authenticity of the narrative surrounding the courageous officer.

Varun Dhawan takes on the role of Major Hoshiar Singh, a soldier whose father also served in the military. Following his father’s death in combat, he and his newlywed wife revere his father’s uniform. Regarding his marriage, he is faced with the task of selecting one woman from a group, all of whom are in a ‘ghungat’.

Next, we have Lt Cdr Rawat, a naval officer. When his daughter asks his wife,” paani mein India ka border kahan hain?”, the wife responds with a straight face, “Paani mein Hindustan Ka border aapke papa hain beta.”

The character back stories are excessively prolonged – while one might find mild interest in the romantic life of one character, the narratives of four men become overwhelming. The emotional depth and drama resemble that of a television soap opera. Mona Singh, who recently portrayed a godmother in Happy Patel, now plays Fateh’s wife and the mother of an aspiring soldier who wishes to emulate his father’s legacy.

There are hardly any aspects that favour the film – a lengthy build up occurs as everyone receives letters, allowing the well-known song Sandese aate hain to play. The climax features the chant of “Hindustan, Hindustan” in the background score, ensuring that the valour of the soldiers is not mistaken for some other country.

Sadly, everything in the film is in black and white with no scope for any subtlety. The action just goes and on and at times, you can’t figure out who is killing whom, not that it matters. There’s one scene where Sunny Deol chucks grenades in a tank, then jumps and sits in the tank and throws the grenades out.

At 196 minutes, the film could definitely do with some trimming – whether it is action, romance or emotional scenes. The cast is sincere but beyond that there isn’t much to write home about. This Border then ultimately approaches rather tedious territory.