Producer Nidhi Dutta Clarifies Tabu's Absence from Border 2
Nidhi Dutta, daughter of filmmaker J.P. Dutta and producer of the upcoming film Border 2, has explained why actress Tabu does not appear in the sequel. During recent promotions, Dutta revealed this decision stems from the film's different narrative focus.
A Different Battle Means Different Characters
In an interview with IANS, Nidhi Dutta stated that Border 2 does not continue the story of the Battle of Longewala from the first film. Instead, it portrays other battles from the 1971 India-Pakistan war. This shift means only a few actors from the original Border return for the sequel.
"Sunny Deol is not playing Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri in this film," Dutta explained. "You can see from all the promotional materials that Major Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri, whom he portrayed in the first film, is a different character here. Naturally, the wife character will also be different."
General Bipin Rawat's Vision and Legacy
Dutta emphasized that making Border 2 represents a responsibility, not merely a creative idea. She shared a poignant backstory involving the late Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat.
"General Bipin Rawat called me and my father to Delhi several years ago for a meeting," she recalled. "During that time, he gave us stories of twenty-two war heroes. Three or four of those stories feature in this film. He told us these are tales of our martyrs and soldiers that must reach the people. He entrusted that responsibility to me and my father."
Tragically, General Rawat died in a helicopter crash before seeing the project come to fruition. Dutta expressed, "This film is not just my father's and my dream. I believe it is also the dream of the late General Bipin Rawat ji."
Honoring Heroes Through Cinema
About a year and a half after General Rawat's passing, Dutta contemplated the future direction of JP Films, her father's company. She revisited the twenty-two stories he had shared.
"From those twenty-two stories, I selected a few that resonated deeply with me," she said. "I combined them and wrote a script focusing on four heroes. That script became Border 2."
Film Details and Release
Border 2 is directed by Anurag Singh. The film stars Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty in lead roles. Moviegoers can expect its release on January 23, 2026.
The production aims to bring untold stories of valor to the big screen, fulfilling a promise made to a national hero.
