Ritika Chouhan: Something big is happening in Bollywood. Everyone was excited when Border 2 was announced, the sequel to the 1997 movie that made every Indian emotional about our soldiers. But now, instead of patriotism, the film is stuck in a storm of controversies.
The problem began when the film’s lead actor, Diljit Dosanjh, faced backlash. Why? Because in his upcoming Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3, he cast Hania Aamir, a Pakistani actress. This didn’t go down well with the FWICE (Federation of Western India Cine Employees), a powerful Bollywood workers’ union.
They said, “How can an actor working with Pakistani artists be part of a film that shows Indian Army bravery?” They even asked big ministers like Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh to stop the shooting of Border 2 at the National Defence Academy.
Soon after, rumours spread that Diljit was removed and Ammy Virk would replace him. Many believed this news because Ammy Virk is also a popular Punjabi actor and singer.
But then came a twist. Ammy Virk’s team clarified that he was already part of Border 2 for the last nine months and is not replacing anyone. Meanwhile, the film makers said that 50% of the film’s shooting is already done with Diljit, so replacing him is not easy.
Adding to this fire, TV actress Rupali Ganguly openly said there is “no place for confused loyalties” in a patriotic film like Border 2. Many people agreed with her, feeling that if someone works with Pakistani actors, they shouldn’t be part of a film honouring Indian soldiers.
Now, everything is stuck. Will the makers keep Diljit and face protests? Or will they reshoot scenes with a new actor, spending crores again? The final decision is yet to come.
But one thing is clear – Border 2 is now has become a battlefield of opinions, politics, patriotism, and pride.
Border 2