Only four days are left until Border 2 is released.
How do you feel?
I'm nervous, excited, and a bit anxious.
I'm sure every producer goes through these feelings during the release week. Also, no matter what field you're in, if you're trying to do something similar to your parent, you feel extra pressure and responsibility. After all, you want to make your parent proud. That's the main feeling I have right now as I hope my dad feels proud of what we've done.
You are also the writer of Border 2.
How did you get the idea?
I actually wrote the script exactly 3 years ago, on January 22, 2023.
I remember the exact date because I have a voice note from that day. I must give credit where it's due. A couple of years back, the late Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, invited me and my dad (J P Dutta) for a meeting. He shared 22 stories about heroes from the Army, Navy, and Air Force who fought in the 1971 war. He wanted us to make movies about them. My dad said, "General sir, I am 71. Who will do this?" He pointed at me and said, "No problem, Dutta sir. She will do it!" He said it so casually, and I didn’t realize then that he was literally writing the future with his words.
Three months later, we lost him in a helicopter crash.
It stayed in my mind that these stories needed to be told. It was a responsibility. Still, from those 22 stories, I picked 3-4. I didn’t decide to make Border 2 at that time. My main aim was to tell these stories on screen. These stories turned out to be from the 1971 war, the same war that the first part, Border, was about. That’s why it’s called Border 2—it's the same war, but we show different battles in the second part.
Earlier, it was common to make sequels or second parts of recent films.
Gadar 2 (2023) changed that trend, as the first part had come out 22 years ago. Did the huge success of Gadar 2 give you the confidence to make Border 2?
Gadar 2 was released in August 2023, while I wrote Border 2 the same year in January.
So, Border 2 was already in the works when Gadar 2 came out. Also, both films are very different. Gadar 2 was a continuation of the same story. Border 2 isn’t really a sequel. It's called Border 2 because the battles shown happen at the same time as the battles in the first part.
It was clear from the start that Sunny Deol would play the lead in Border 2.
But how did Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty join the cast? Were they the only choices?
Yes, they were the first choices for their roles.
When I read about Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, who was the only Param Vir Chakra awardee in the Indian Air Force, the only person that came to my mind was Diljit. I was really happy that he joined the film. As for Varun, he was always in my mind. I remember my husband (Binoy Gandhi) messaged him about it when I had just written the script. Finally, when I wrote the character of the Naval officer, I knew it had to be Ahan. There's a certain way naval officers carry themselves, different from air force and army officers. Somehow, Ahan gave me the feeling that this was the role for him.
EXCLUSIVE: Nidhi Dutta reveals, "Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty were FIRST choice for Border 2"; hints at paid negativity over Varun Dhawan: "He's playing a Param Vir Chakra hero; I hope people show a little more respect for that"
My father always says, "We believe we are casting a war film.
But we actually aren't. The heroes that they are playing, who are sitting up in heaven, are the ones who pick these actors!" My father believes that, and so do
Varun Dhawan seems to have done a great job, but he has faced some criticism and mockery online. What are your thoughts? Do you think such trolling is unnecessary?
When you watch the film, you'll understand exactly what we're feeling.
We've seen his performance and how hard he worked for it. As for online trolling, I think everyone has their own opinions. It's fine for them to have those opinions; I can't really comment on it. I don't know if it's true, but if certain people pay others to bring them down, I hope that doesn't happen in a country like ours. Varun portrays a Param Vir Chakra awardee, Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya. Because of that, I hope people don’t actually pay to bring someone like him down, as he's following in the footsteps of a real soldier. I hope people show a little more respect for that. Otherwise, people are entitled to their opinions. However, I feel the film and his performance will speak for themselves.
Has your father seen Border 2?
Did he like it? I guess that must have been very important for you...
For sure.
For me, that was my acid test (laughs). To answer your question, he has seen the film. The conversation we had was very personal, which I won’t speak about. All I can say is that he kept crying and had tears in his eyes. That was my Oscar!
There have been reports that the star cast of the first Border (1997) – Suniel Shetty, Akshaye Khanna and Sudesh Berry – will also be seen in Border 2 in cameos.
Is that true?
I have no idea what you're talking about!
I haven't heard these reports and so, I don't know.
What will you do on January 23, the day the film releases?
Would you like to visit single-screen cinemas?
Of course.
I am waiting to go to Gaiety-Galaxy. It means a lot to me to experience the audience reaction and also see the names in the credits roll. My father has always taught me that 'When you go and watch a film, no matter whose film it is, make sure you sit in your seat till the last credit rolls'. This is because the guy, whose name is mentioned in the very end, is probably the spot boy and he has worked the hardest on the film! This is where we come from. Hence, Friday holds a lot of emotion and expectation.
Since you have a bank of 22 tales from the late General Bipin Rawat, do you have any plans to make Border 3?
Yes, there would definitely be a Border 3, but we don't know as of now when it'll be made and which stories it will consist of.
God willing, it will be made. God knows best!
