The upcoming film Border 2 features Varun Dhawan as Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya, a Param Vir Chakra recipient who showed extraordinary bravery in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Singh fought in the Battle of Basantar alongside Arun Khetarpal, destroying numerous enemy tanks despite being injured. The movie highlights his real-life heroics during the conflict.
Border 2, a sequel to the 1997 film, stars Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. It focuses on the 1971 India-Pakistan war, emphasizing the roles of the army, navy, and air force in defending the nation. Varun Dhawan takes on the role of Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya of the 3 Grenadiers, who earned the Param Vir Chakra for his actions in the Battle of Basantar.
In a 1997 interview shared on YouTube by Subhash Choudhary, Singh recounted the battle's intensity. His unit was ordered on December 15 at 10 pm to cross the Basantar river, about 20 km from the border, and capture the Pakistani-occupied village of Jarpal by midnight. Despite minefields, tanks, and ammunition set by the enemy, they succeeded within two hours. The mission required building a bridge by dawn for Indian tanks and clearing minefields under tight deadlines.
Pakistani forces launched counterattacks starting December 16 at 8 am with infantry, followed by tank assaults at noon and 4 pm. Singh's company destroyed 40-45 enemy tanks during these engagements. It was in one of these tank attacks that Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal was martyred. Further assaults on December 16-17 came from two sides—tanks on one and infantry on the other—resulting in 300-350 Pakistani casualties. Singh noted that 97 enemy bodies were collected and returned. He himself was injured but continued fighting.
On December 18, a Pakistani brigade commander approached under a white flag, requesting the remains of their soldiers and announcing withdrawal. This occurred as a ceasefire was declared. An Indian brigade commander later praised Singh's bravery while he lay wounded. Singh retired from the Indian Army in 1988 and passed away in 1998 at age 61 due to cardiac arrest. The film Ikkis, released recently, covers Khetarpal's story.
