‘Write something new,’ says Javed Akhtar to Border 2 makers: Reports

Lyricist Javed Akhtar, who penned the iconic “Sandeshe Aate Hai” in the 1997 movie ‘Border’, has said that he refused to write songs for the upcoming ‘Border 2’, according to reports.

In an interview, Akhtar reportedly claimed that the makers of the new film had approached him, and the lyricist turned them down by saying that they should either write something new or accept that they are unable to recreate the same level of work.

He reportedly asked if the old song worked, why would the makers put it out again by adding something new.

Earlier, lyricist Manoj Muntashir, who has written the song ‘Ghar Kab Aaoge’ from ‘Border 2’, had said that the song is about the quiet pain and fragile hope.

Manoj described the song as a heartfelt tribute to timeless emotions and to the lyrical legacy that inspired it.

While writing ‘Ghar Kab Aaoge’, Muntashir consciously drew inspiration from legendary lyricist Javed Akhtar, particularly from the iconic song ‘Sandese Aate Hai’.

He shared that the emotional depth and simplicity of that song shaped his approach, reinforcing his belief that honesty in emotion is what truly endures.

Talking about the song, Manoj said, “I grew up admiring Javed Akhtar sahab’s writing, and ‘Sandese Aate Hai’ is a song that has always lived deep inside me. While writing ‘Ghar Kab Aaoge,’ my only intent was to remain true to that same emotional honesty and simplicity. I am deeply grateful to Anurag Singh for trusting me with such a delicate emotion. Mithoon’s deeply expressive eyes constantly push me to write better poetry, and I must thank Bhushan ji for giving me the opportunity to be part of a song that carries so much heart. This song is not about grand words, it is about the quiet pain and fragile hope of every home waiting for someone to return”.

Directed by Anurag Singh, ‘Border 2’ brings together a powerful ensemble led by Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty, Mona Singh, Medha Rana, Sonam Bajwa, and Anya Singh.

‘Border 2’ is presented by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series, in association with J.P. Dutta’s J.P. Films. Backed by a powerful production team including Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, J.P. Dutta, and Nidhi Dutta, and directed by Anurag Singh, the film promises scale and emotion.

The film is set to release on January 23, 2026.

(with inputs from syndicated feed)