Anurag Singh’s period war drama Border 2 has had a great opening at the domestic box office, raking in over Rs 72 crore in just two days. It is likely to cross the Rs 100 crore mark soon, benefiting from the long weekend culminating in Republic Day. Border 2, a sequel to JP Dutta’s 1997 blockbuster, boasts of an ensemble cast comprising Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty and Diljit Dosanjh.
Who does Diljit Dosanjh play?
Border 2 also expands the scope of the first film by depicting the Indo-Pak War of 1971 through India’s three defense forces: the army, navy and air force. While Sunny and Varun play Indian Army officers, Ahan dons the Indian Navy uniform. Meanwhile, Diljit takes flight as Indian Air Force officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon.
Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, born in Ludhiana, Punjab, on July 17, 1945. was inspired by the experiences of his father, who served in the IAF and later retired as a flight lieutenant (honorary). He was fascinated with aircraft and the IAF since his childhood, as his village was located in the vicinity of the IAF base Halwara, near Ludhiana.
Sekhon left his engineering course midway and joined the IAF. He was commissioned into the IAF on 4 June 1967 as a fighter pilot. After completing his rigorous training, Sekhon joined No 18 Squadron, known as “Flying Bullets” in October 1968. During the Indo-Pak War of 1971, Sekhon flew Gnat aircraft, also known as “HAL Ajeet”, and shot down the Pakistani Sabre, which attacked the Srinagar airfield.
On 14 December 1971, a formation of six enemy Saber aircraft launched an attack on the Srinagar airfield. Flight Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was initially unable to take off because clouds of dust kicked up by a taking off aircraft obscured the runway. When visibility cleared and the runway was ready, enemy planes were already overhead, strafing the airfield.
Despite the extreme danger and overwhelming odds, Sekhon immediately took off and engaged two of the attacking Sabers. Flying at treetop height, he fought bravely in the aerial combat that followed. However, outnumbered, he was eventually shot down when his plane crashed, claiming his life.
Thanks to his sacrifice, Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon successfully defended Srinagar, while the enemy aircraft withdrew from the battlefield without continuing their assault on the city and the air base. He became the first IAF individual to receive the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest bravery award.
Story continues below this ad.
Diljit Dosanjh’s emotional story about Border 2
On Saturday, Diljit Dosanjh took to social media to share an emotional anecdote linked to the Border franchise. “I remember when the first border came, a lot of people around me went to see it, but I couldn’t because I didn’t have the money for it. My family didn’t give me money to see it either, but even they didn’t have much, so how could they save it? I really wanted to see the movie at that time. I didn’t know that one day I would have the opportunity to appear in the movie,” he recalls.
Also Read – Dhurandhar’s 51st box office collection day: Ranveer Singh’s film surrenders to Border 2; earned only Rs 75 lakh
“Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon ji’s character, what a wonderful character! If you have never read about him, some people know, but you should definitely read and understand his life,” the actor-singer added.
Last year, there were rumors that Diljit Dosanjh might be dropped from Border 2 after he shared screen space with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in the Punjabi triple comedy Sardaar Ji 3 following the Pahalgam terror attacks. However, Border 2 producer Bhushan Kumar of T-Series confirmed that Diljit is a big part of the film.