Varun Dhawan

Review: Sunny Deol’s Border 2 – Falls short of the original’s glory

by 123telugu January 24, 2026

Movie Name : Border 2

Release Date : Jan 23, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Sunny Deol,Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty ,Sonam Bajwa, Mona Singh and Others
Director : Anurag Singh
Producers : Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar,JP Dutta, Nidhi Dutta
Music Directors : Anu Malik, Mithoon, Vishal Mishra, Sachet-Parampara, Gurmoh
Cinematographer : Anshul Chobey
Editor : Manish More

Related Links : Trailer

Bollywood film Border, headlined by Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Akshaye Khanna, and others, is one of the most memorable war action dramas to have come out in Indian cinema. Nearly three decades after the first film, Border’s sequel titled Border 2, has hit the big screens today. Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahaan Shetty headline the second installment. The movie was released amidst good expectations. Let’s see how it is.

Story:

Set in 1971, the film depicts the bravery of the Indian armed forces during the India–Pakistan war. Close friends Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon (Diljit Dosanjh), Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya (Varun Dhawan), and Lt. Cdr. Mahendra S. Rawat (Ahan Shetty) reunite at Sekhon’s wedding before being urgently called back to duty.

As most troops are deployed to East Pakistan, the trio, along with their former trainer Lt Col Fateh Singh Kaler (Sunny Deol), faces the challenge of defending the western border from Pakistani attacks across Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir.

Plus Points:

The first half of the film revolves around the friendship between the three leads, and these portions work quite well. What begins as an ego clash gradually evolves into camaraderie. The comedy and music are neatly woven into the narrative, keeping the proceedings engaging.

The backstories of the leads are effectively presented with a touch of emotion. Sunny Deol makes a strong and impactful entry, backed by a well-executed action sequence. The interval block, where he warns the enemy with a punchy dialogue, is sure to strike a chord with the masses. His screen presence and dialogue delivery remain solid throughout.

Varun Dhawan, who was heavily trolled for his quirky smile in the promotional material, proves his naysayers wrong with his portrayal of a fierce soldier. He slips into the character effortlessly and delivers exactly what the role demands, without going overboard.

Minus Points:

The main problem begins once the war episodes unfold. They lack naturality and look very artificial on the big screen. The war tactics and one-on-one combat sequences feel highly similar to the first installment, offering little novelty.

The air combat portions featuring Diljit and the action sequences on water with Ahaan Shetty look extremely shoddy due to poor VFX. These tacky visuals undo the good impression created in the first half. When aiming for something ambitious, every element must align to leave a lasting impact.

Even without advanced technology, the first film delivered brilliant war sequences. In contrast, Border 2 struggles heavily in this aspect despite having adequate resources. Since war scenes form the heart of the Border franchise, the second installment doesn’t quite hit the mark. Also, the emotional touch that was neatly handled in the original is missing during the war scenes. The second half is stretched unnecessarily.

Technical Aspects:

Apart from the music, the other technical aspects aren’t up to the mark and they restrict the impact considerably. Especially the VFX is subpar and leaves a lot to be desired. The action sequences lack novelty, and the editing isn’t satisfactory. The movie drags after a point, giving a tiresome feeling.

Director Anurag Singh does an okayish job. The first half is watchable, but the second half fails to pack a punch because of below-par war sequences. The content closely mirrors the first part, with the sequel offering very little that’s new.

Verdict:

On the whole, Border 2 falls short of matching the impact of Border and works only to a limited extent. Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan deliver impressive performances and largely shoulder the film, while the supporting cast doesn’t get much scope to shine. The biggest drawback lies in the war sequences, which suffer from unimpressive VFX and weak presentation. The second half fails to live up to expectations and noticeably lacks emotional depth. Although the film may open well due to its strong brand value, its long-term prospects appear modest.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

January 24, 2026

OTT Alert: Netflix Set to Stream 4 Movies in 2 Days

by 123telugu November 26, 2025

This weekend brings a heavy slate of OTT releases. From Ravi Teja’s Mass Jathara to Stranger Things Season 5 and Anupama Parameswaran’s The Pet Detective, several titles are heading to digital platforms. Among them, Netflix is launching 4 key movies and series. Here is the lineup.

Stranger Things Season 5:

The final season of Netflix’s flagship series arrives tomorrow (November 27, 2025) amid massive anticipation. Part 1 features 4 episodes, and viewers are eager to dive in since this chapter closes the show. The season streams in Telugu, English, and other regional languages. Netflix is also shifting its usual 12:30 PM release window and dropping the show 6 hours earlier (06:30 AM).

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari:

This Bollywood rom-com stars Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf. After a mixed theatrical response, the film arrives on Netflix on November 27, 2025. A Telugu version will not be available. Karan Johar is one of the producers.

Mass Jathara:

Ravi Teja’s action drama lands on Netflix on November 28, 2025. Directed by Bhanu Bhogavarapu, the film struggled to find momentum in theatres and is now looking to draw viewers through its digital release. Sreeleela plays the female lead. The movie will stream in Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, with no update on a Hindi version.

Aaryan:

Vishnu Vishal stars in and produces this Tamil crime thriller. The film did not perform well in theatres but is getting a fresh push as it streams on Netflix on November 28, 2025. It will be available in major languages, including Telugu and Hindi. Selvaraghavan appears as the antagonist, and Shraddha Srinath and Maanasa Choudhary play key roles.

OTT Releases This Week: Stranger Things S5, Aaryan, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari and more on Netflix, Prime Video, Jio Hotstar and other platforms

CLICK HERE FOR OTT RELEASES THIS WEEK

November 26, 2025

Review : Varun Dhawan’s Baby John – Remake that struggles to match the original

by 123telugu December 26, 2024

Movie Name: Baby John
Release Date : December 25, 2024

Rating: 2.75/5
Starring : Varun Dhawan, Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi, Jackie Shroff, Rajpal Yadav, Zara Zyanna

Director: Kalees
Music Director: Thaman S
Editor: Ruben
Producers: MuradKhetani, Priya Atlee, Jyoti Deshpande
Cinematographer: Kiran Koushik
Related Links:Trailer

Story:

John D’Silva (Varun Dhawan) is living a peaceful life with his daughter, Khushi (Zara Zyanna), in Alappuzha, Kerala. His world changes when he grows close to Tara (Wamiqa Gabbi), Khushi’s teacher, and an unexpected incident reveals his true identity. Tara discovers that John is actually DCP Satya Verma, a powerful officer from Mumbai who faked his own death. But why did he do it? What is he running from? Who is Nanaji (Jackie Shroff), and what caused their rift? These answers will unfold in the main movie.

Plus Points:

Varun Dhawan delivers a memorable performance as both a police officer and a caring father who runs a bakery. His looks and physique suit the role, and he uses them effectively. In several scenes, he gives a solid performance.

Wamiqa Gabbi is a pleasant surprise. While she plays Amy Jackson’s role from Theri, her character is given more depth in this version. She looks great and performs well, despite having limited screen time.

Keerthy Suresh is charming. Her acting is simple, but her role, though small, leaves an impact. Jackie Shroff adds weight to the film.

Other actors like Zara (the child) and Rajpal Yadav entertain in their respective roles. Thaman’s score is another highlight, especially in the action scenes, which add intensity to the movie.

Minus Points:

It’s been eight years since Vijay’s Theri made its mark, both emotionally and action-wise. When remaking a film like that, the story should’ve been more developed, and the characters should’ve been stronger, especially with a big budget. Sticking to the same plot with a frame-by-frame remake, even using similar camera angles, raises the question of what’s new in this version.

The original had a perfect balance of action and emotion. While both elements are present here, the way they are told doesn’t hit as hard. Atlee handled the emotional depth in the original, making the audience feel the pain. In this version, some emotional scenes fall flat because they lack that same impact.

Varun Dhawan is good in his role, but he could’ve brought more depth to the emotional scenes to make them truly impactful. The love track between him and Keerthy Suresh also feels underdeveloped.

Jackie Shroff’s character is built up at the start, but as the story moves forward, his performance doesn’t match the earlier buildup. He comes across more as a powerful don than a complex, corrupt politician. A couple of songs work, but they don’t add much to the overall experience.

The biggest letdown is the failure to capture the emotional intensity of the girl’s death and the minister’s son’s death—key turning points in the story. The original nailed these moments with Atlee’s direction and GV Prakash Kumar’s score, but here, the emotional punch falls flat.

Technical Aspects:

Kalees directed Baby John with care, but he missed a key element: maintaining the emotional depth that made the original film so powerful. If he had focused on this more, the movie could’ve been a big hit. However, the writing team deserves credit for developing the character arcs of Wamiqa Gabbi, Rajpal Yadav, and Jackie Shroff, which were lacking in the original.

Thaman’s background score is solid, but if you’re familiar with his earlier work, you might notice some recycled tunes and sounds. Still, it fits the mood of the movie. The cinematography by Kiran Koushik is good, and the production values are solid. Editing is crisp in the first half, but the second half could’ve used some trimming.

Verdict:

On the whole, Baby John is an action-packed emotional drama that has its moments. Varun Dhawan does a solid job balancing both sides of his character, and Keerthy Suresh is charming in her small role. Wamiqa Gabbi does well, but Jackie Shroff doesn’t meet expectations. While Thaman and Kalees do their part, the film, being a carbon copy of Vijay’s Theri, doesn’t quite match the original, even with a bigger budget. If you’re in the mood for a formulaic story with mass action and some emotional moments, Baby John might work for you. Otherwise, you can explore other options.

PS: Salman Bhai, please save the cameos for when they actually make sense.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

December 26, 2024

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