Suniel Shetty, the Bollywood actor celebrated for his role as Bhairav Singh in the iconic 1997 war film "Border," recently revealed that he initially turned down the opportunity to be a part of the J.P. Dutta directorial. The primary reason behind his hesitation stemmed from rumors and stories he had heard about director J.P. Dutta's temperamental nature.

Shetty, in an interview, disclosed that he was warned about Dutta's strict directorial style and alleged use of harsh language on set. Knowing his own fiery temperament, Shetty was concerned about potential clashes with the director. He humorously stated that he feared he might "raise his hand" if Dutta were to abuse him. This apprehension led him to initially reject the role, despite liking the script.

"I rejected the role because I had heard that JP Dutta was a very strict director, aur gaaliyan bhi de dete the if he got upset," Shetty explained. "I myself was very hot-tempered... kyunki usne gaali de di toh main haath uthaa dunga (because if he abuses me, I'll raise my hand)."

However, fate intervened in the form of Shetty's mother-in-law. J.P. Dutta, adamant about casting Shetty as Bhairav Singh, reached out to Bharat Shah, a mutual acquaintance who knew Shetty's mother-in-law. She then played a crucial role in convincing Shetty to reconsider the offer. Shetty eventually agreed, but not without setting his own conditions, making it clear that he would walk out if any untoward situation arose.

Despite his initial reservations, Shetty's experience working with J.P. Dutta turned out to be remarkably positive. He found that they "hit it off like fire" from the very first day. Shetty has since expressed deep respect and fondness for Dutta, acknowledging that the director continued to cast him in films even during his career's low points, without a second thought.

Shetty has also spoken about the profound impact "Border" had on him, particularly after visiting Kargil during the 1999 war. He recounted a moving experience where he met a young Sikh soldier who had lost an arm in combat, who was reciting Bhairav Singh's war cry from the film. This cemented the film's emotional resonance for Shetty, making him realize the lasting impact of his role.

"If Suniel Shetty would stay in people's minds, even long after I am gone also, it will be only because of Border," Shetty stated, acknowledging the film's significance in his career.

"Border" dramatized the Battle of Longewala from the 1971 India-Pakistan War. The film featured an ensemble cast, including Sunny Deol, Akshaye Khanna, and Jackie Shroff. Shetty described the experience of working on the film as "magical," noting the presence of army men and BSF jawans on set. The film's emotional depth was further highlighted when Shetty shared that everyone on set was in tears after shooting the iconic song "Sandese Aate Hai."

Now, almost three decades after the release of "Border," a sequel, "Border 2," is in the works. The new film will feature Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Diljit Dosanjh, and Suniel Shetty's son, Ahaan Shetty, is also slated to be a part of the cast, marking a new chapter in the "Border" legacy.