Diljit Dosanjh is set to portray the heroic Param Vir Chakra recipient, Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, in the highly anticipated sequel to the 1997 film Border, titled Border 2. The film, directed by Anurag Singh, aims to showcase the bravery and sacrifice of the Indian Armed Forces during the 1971 war.
Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was the only member of the Indian Air Force to be honored with the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest wartime medal for gallantry. He was recognized for his exceptional courage and valor in defending the Srinagar Air Base against a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) air raid during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
Born on July 17, 1943, in the village of Isewal, Ludhiana, Punjab, Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on June 4, 1967. During the 1971 war, he was serving with the No. 18 Squadron, "The Flying Bullets" of IAF, flying the Folland Gnat fighter aircraft based at Srinagar. On December 14, 1971, the Srinagar airfield was attacked by six Pakistan Air Force F-86 jets. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Sekhon bravely took off and engaged the enemy aircraft. He managed to shoot down two of the attacking jets before his aircraft was hit. Advised to return to base after being hit, Sekhon is said to have flown straight before going inverted and plummeting down, possibly due to a control system failure. He attempted a last-minute ejection, but it was unsuccessful. His remains, as well as the exact location of his aircraft's crash site, have never been found.
Dosanjh confirmed his participation in Border 2 by sharing a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram. In the video, Dosanjh is seen dressed in a formal suit with an army logo and badge. The film already has nearly half of it shot. Border 2 features an ensemble cast including Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Ahan Shetty. Sunny Deol will reprise his role as Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri from the original Border.
The filming of Border 2 is currently underway at the Babina cantonment in Jhansi. The film is slated for release on January 23, 2026.
Diljit Dosanjh's casting in Border 2 was initially met with some controversy. Following the release of his Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3, which featured Pakistani actress Hania Aamir, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) expressed their disapproval and called for a ban on Dosanjh. However, the ban was later revoked for Border 2 after Bhushan Kumar, the producer of the film, personally requested the FWICE to allow Dosanjh to continue shooting. The FWICE president clarified that the decision was made considering the film's focus on national security and the absence of Pakistani actors. Despite lifting the ban for Border 2, the FWICE has stated that they will continue to not cooperate with Dosanjh on future projects.
