‘Border 2’ director Anurag Singh addresses climax lighting concerns, confirms corrections are underway - Reports

While the film 'Border 2' has been praised for its performances, some viewers have expressed discontent with the lighting in the climactic battle scenes. Some of the audience felt that the climactic sequence looked unusually dark. In response to this criticism, director Anurag Singh explained that the dark images were not part of his intended creative vision, in an interview recently.Anurag Singh, while speaking to Bollywood Hungama said, "I did not intend for the climax to be dark; it is supposed to take place in the evening; however, because of the projection issues, in some theatres it does appear darker than it does in other theatres." Anurag Singh further confirmed that the team has already taken steps to fix the issue, revealing, “We have sent out a mail to all theatres explaining how to address this issue. Additionally, we are updating the print in theatres where the climax is appearing darker than intended.”Anurag Singh also explained that executing massive action sequences without visual shortcuts was the most taxing part of the production. Shooting on actual locations added authenticity but required far more coordination and planning than studio-based setups. “The scale is so big. There are about 300 to 400 crew members on set at any given time. We were shooting on real locations, not green screens. We filmed in Dehradun and Jhansi, dealing with extreme cold in some schedules and harsh summer heat in others," he said.According to the director, war scenes are far more complex than typical action set pieces because of the sheer number of moving parts involved. Unpredictable weather and logistical hurdles only added to the pressure during production. “The blasts have to go off at the exact time, actors need to be positioned at specific distances when flames erupt, and there are nearly 500 people fighting in the background. This isn’t a one-on-one fight; it’s a battlefield. Coordinating action on that scale is incredibly difficult," he explained.While most of ‘Border 2’ was shot using practical effects and real environments, Anurag Singh acknowledged that certain sequences required a different approach. Aerial combat scenes, in particular, had to be created using visual effects, as filming real fighter jets was not feasible. Maintaining a balance between VFX-heavy moments and grounded realism became essential to preserve the film’s raw, immersive tone.Beyond the logistical challenges, the director revealed that combining emotional storytelling with technical precision was the most delicate aspect of the film. “To get thrill, emotion, and action together in a single shot, with all the technicalities, was the trickiest part," he said. He pointed to Varun Dhawan’s trench sequence, which needed to convey suffocation and urgency, and Sunny Deol’s tank scenes, designed to project strength and emotional depth without slipping into visual excess. Directed by Anurag Singh, ‘Border 2’ serves as the follow-up to J.P. Dutta’s 1997 war epic ‘Border’. Set during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the sequel broadens its scope to showcase coordinated operations by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The ensemble cast also includes Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh, and Medha Rana.