Entertainment

Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty Join Sunny Deol & Varun Dhawan In Border 2 — NDA Shoot Begins!

Big names, bigger emotions: Border 2 gears up for a Republic Day 2026 release with a powerhouse cast and epic war visuals.

Pune, June 17: Brace yourself, Bollywood buffs — the war cry’s back, and it’s got a Gen Z twist. Border 2, the long-awaited follow-up to J.P. Dutta’s iconic 1997 war drama, just kicked off its third shooting schedule at Pune’s National Defence Academy, and the cast is… well, a power-packed platoon of old-school grit and new-gen fire.

Diljit, Ahan, Sunny, Varun — That’s A Full-Scale Cinematic Battalion

Over the weekend, cameras started rolling with Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty joining forces with Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan — a mashup no one had on their 2025 bingo card, but now can’t stop talking about.

Set in the thick of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, Border 2 isn’t just gunning for nostalgia. It’s going for scale, emotion, and a bit of legacy torch-passing. Think Uri meets Shershaah — with Sunny Deol still bringing that patented “Dhai Kilo Ka Haath” energy, but this time with Varun Dhawan doing drills beside him instead of dancing in a tux.

Diljit Dosanjh Gets His Boots Dirty

Diljit, stepping into combat boots, is shooting his scenes in Pune through August, and according to India Today, he’s playing a pivotal role — emotionally intense, patriotic, and grounded in realism. Fans know him for his charm, but this could be the first time we see him swap a mic for a rifle (and probably cry on screen without breaking into a song mid-scene).

He’s paired with Sonam Bajwa, and if the off-screen chemistry is even a fraction of their Punjabi bangers, we’re in for something special. As Moneycontrol reported, she’s playing a tough, rooted Punjabi woman who’s more than just a love interest — a role that apparently adds major emotional weight to Diljit’s arc.

Meet Ahan Shetty: The Next-Gen Soldier With A Famous Last Name

Here’s where things get poetic. Ahan Shetty, fresh off his debut, is stepping into army fatigues — and into his father Suniel Shetty’s shadow from the original Border. Fans online have already dubbed it “the Shetty handover,” and honestly, that’s kind of the vibe. It’s legacy cinema 101.

As per Hindustan Times, Ahan plays a fresh recruit — idealistic, eager, and likely to deliver at least one monologue about duty and dharti maa. And get this: Suniel Shetty, when asked if he regrets not returning, told NDTV, “Yes and no. Because Ahan’s in it… and that’s enough legacy for me.” That’s some wholesome generational handoff if we’ve ever seen one.

Varun Dhawan Goes Camouflage

Now, Varun Dhawan in a war film? At first, it sounded like a casting curveball. But the more you think about it, the more it works. The guy’s been flexing his range — from October to Bhediya — and Border 2 might be his big, gritty moment. India Today says he joined the cast officially last August and could be playing Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya, though producers are keeping that part hush-hush.

So far, sources say he’s been going all in — think combat training, emotional prep, and bonding sessions with Sunny Deol that probably end with a glass of milk and talk of national pride.

A Set So Big, Even Kashmir’s Got A Clone

The production, led by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, J.P. Dutta, and Nidhi Dutta, isn’t holding back. Alongside real locations like the NDA, they’ve built an entire Kashmiri village set somewhere in North India. According to B4U Movies, it’s massive — the kind of place you can almost hear a Sandese Aate Hai reprise echo through the air.

Speaking of which…

“Sandese Aate Hai” Is Back (And We’re Already Emotional)

The anthem that made grown men cry in 1997 is getting a soulful 2.0 update. Times of India confirmed that Sonu Nigam and Arijit Singh are collaborating on the new version — a poetic passing of the mic, really. If that combo doesn’t give you goosebumps, maybe check your pulse.

Expect the track to drop closer to the film’s release — probably with a visual montage of letters, sunsets, and slow-motion salutes.

Republic Day 2026: The Date’s Set, The Mood’s Patriotic

Mark your calendars: Border 2 hits theatres on January 23, 2026 — a deliberate drop just ahead of Republic Day, and if all goes as planned, the ultimate weekend to lean into patriotic cinema and tissues.

Between its throwback cast, glossy production, and the emotional gut-punch of the first film, this sequel has its work cut out. But the pieces are falling into place — and whether you’re here for the war drama, the family legacies, or just to hear “Sandese Aate Hai” again in Dolby Atmos, there’s something electric about watching this unfold.

And let’s be honest — in a Bollywood landscape that’s increasingly about franchises, Border 2 isn’t just another sequel. It’s a revival of feels, fists, and fatherland.


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Author Profile
Sneha Kashyap
Reporting Fellow at 

Sneha Kashyap is a Reporting Fellow at Hindustan Herald, specializing in the vibrant world of entertainment and contemporary lifestyle trends. A student at GGSIPU, Delhi, Sneha brings a fresh perspective and a keen eye for cultural narratives to her daily reporting. She is dedicated to exploring the latest in film, music, fashion, and social phenomena, offering readers insightful and engaging content.

Source
India Today

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