Producer and co-writer Nidhi Dutta says the decision to title the film Border 2 came from a deep sense of historical and emotional responsibility. She believes the legacy of the original Border unintentionally narrowed public understanding of the 1971 Indo-Pak war. As she explains, “Previous Border in some way has given us an impression that the 1971 war equals Longewala and it ends there. Somewhere we have an impression that itna hi hua tha, isse jyada toh hua hi nahi tha.” For Dutta, this perception needed to be challenged, especially since the 1971 conflict remains one of the biggest wars the country has ever fought. “It was important, and it was like a responsibility to say no, guys, it was not just this — it was so much more,” she says.
Dutta emphasises that Border 2 was never conceived as a franchise-driven sequel or a disconnected war film. “That is why it was called Border 2, because it was an extension of that first film and not just a franchise element. It was not something where I made a film called Border 2 on the Kargil war — that was 1999 and this was 1971,” she explains. According to her, there was a clear logic behind the title: it is the same war, seen through different battles. She points out that moments in the film — such as when Hoshiyar Singh hears on the radio about losing his friends and listens to the names of Bhairav Singh and Dharamveer — establish that events from both films are unfolding simultaneously. “You realise that it’s happening at the same time, in the same days, which is why it is called Border 2 — it’s an extension of Border,” she says.
Acknowledging the emotional weight attached to the title, Dutta admits that using the Border name comes with immense pressure. “It’s not so much cushioning of the franchise; it’s as much, or if not a bigger, responsibility because you are dealing with emotions. You are taking a chance by even calling it Border 2,” she says. For her, the deciding factor has always been intention. “There has to be an intention of why you are making a film. My intention had to be the same as my father’s, and if that intention is correct, I don’t think we can go wrong. There will be acceptance from the audience, and you will get the success we have,” Dutta adds, underlining the emotional and creative conviction behind Border 2.