Veteran Indian lyricist Javed Akhtar has publicly stated his refusal to write songs for the upcoming film 'Border 2', emphasizing his strong disapproval of the trend to rework old songs. In an exclusive interview, Akhtar revealed that the makers of the sequel had approached him, but he turned down the offer. He articulated his stance by calling the practice of repurposing successful old songs a form of "intellectual and creative bankruptcy". Akhtar stressed the importance of creating fresh music for new films, challenging filmmakers to either compose original tracks or acknowledge their inability to match past creative standards. The original 1997 film 'Border', for which Akhtar penned iconic songs like 'Sandese Aate Hain', is widely celebrated for its music. However, the songs released for 'Border 2' have largely been reworked versions of the classics, leading to divided reactions among fans who grew up with the original soundtrack. Akhtar questioned the necessity of recreating what is bygone, drawing a parallel to the 1964 film 'Haqeeqat', which, despite having brilliant songs, did not rely on them for new productions. He firmly believes that every film holds its own unique magic that cannot simply be rekindled through rehashed versions. This perspective aligns with his previous critiques of remixes, where he once compared adding rap to classic songs to "putting disco music in Taj Mahal". The highly anticipated 'Border 2', starring Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty, is slated for a theatrical release on January 23, 2026, coinciding with India's Republic Day weekend. Advance bookings for the film have shown strong momentum, indicating significant audience interest. Akhtar's comments have fueled the ongoing debate within the Indian film industry about artistic originality versus commercial nostalgia.