Following the successful opening weekend of the war epic Border 2, producer Bhushan Kumar has addressed growing speculation regarding Akshaye Khanna’s viral cameo in the film. Despite rumours that the actor was added to the project to capitalise on the massive success of his recent blockbuster Dhurandhar, Kumar clarified that the appearance was a long-standing part of the original script. ‘Border 2’: Elated Varun Dhawan Thanks Audiences for the Positive Response to His War Film With Sunny Deol and Ahan Shetty.

The film, which serves as a spiritual successor to JP Dutta’s 1997 classic Border, features an emotional end-credits sequence where characters from the first instalment return. The scene, which also includes Suniel Shetty and Sudesh Berry, has become a major talking point on social media since the film's release on January 23, 2026.

Bhushan Kumar Opens Up About Akshaye Khanna’a Cameo in ‘Border 2’

In a recent interview with News18 Showsha, the T-Series chairperson dismissed claims that the production team made last-minute changes to "milk" the popularity of Akshaye Khanna.

"You can’t make a film like that," Kumar stated. "It was already scripted. The hysteria of Dhurandhar and Akshaye was already there, but we never thought of profiting from it. It was never required in the script to add him after the fact."

While the producer admitted that Khanna's portion was technically filmed after Dhurandhar had already become a hit, he emphasised that the creative decision predated the box office results of that film. Director Anurag Singh corroborated this timeline, noting that the specific sequence was filmed between December 10 and 11, 2025.

A Tribute to the Original Legacy

The controversial scene features AI-assisted and de-aged appearances of the original cast, appearing as spirits before Sunny Deol’s character, Lt Col Fateh Singh Kaler. Kumar described the moment as a necessary emotional tribute to the soldiers who "died" in the 1997 film.

Akshaye Khanna, Suniel Shetty, Puneet Issar, Sudesh Berry’s Cameo In ‘Border 2’

"I would like to urge everyone not to miss the end credits. That scene featuring the cameos is very emotional," Kumar added, noting that Suniel Shetty’s inclusion followed the same logic of honouring the franchise's history rather than pursuing marketing gains.

'Border 2' Box Office Performance

Border 2 has already emerged as a commercial juggernaut, reportedly nearing the INR 250 crore mark worldwide within its first four days. The film’s opening weekend even surpassed the numbers set by Dhurandhar, collecting approximately INR 129.89 crore domestically. ‘Border 2’ Box Office Collection: Sunny Deol’s War Film Mints INR 57.20 Crore on Day 3, Beats ‘Dhurandhar’ and ‘Chhaava’ in Opening Weekend Earnings.

The sequel stars Sunny Deol alongside a new generation of actors, including Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. The narrative focuses on India’s multi-front response during the 1971 war, maintaining the patriotic tone that made the original a cultural phenomenon.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 27, 2026 11:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).