Sandese Aate Hai will always be a Javed Akhtar, Anu Malik song: Manoj Muntashir

Manoj Muntashir acknowledged the iconic Border songs by Javed Akhtar and Anu Malik while introducing new music in Border 2. He said that the fresh soundtrack aims to respect the original legacy and connect with today's audience.

Few films in Hindi cinema carry the emotional weight that Border does. Released in 1997, its songs didn’t just add emotional depth to the story; they became part of the nation’s collective memory. Nearly three decades later, Border 2 arrived with a few of the same songs — with a tinge of freshness — leading to divided reactions from fans.

The debate intensified after original lyricist Javed Akhtar, in an interview with India Today, described the trend of recreating old songs as a sign of “creative bankruptcy.”

Speaking to India Today, Border 2 lyricist Manoj Muntashir responded to the noise, agreeing partly with Javed Akhtar, and also crediting him and musician Anu Malik for the impactful songs in Border.

“Javed sahab is absolutely right. That’s precisely why we wrote an original song. ‘Mitti Ke Bete’ is a fresh song. And I am fully confident that the day Javed sahab hears it, he will call Mithoon (music composer of Border 2) and me. He has always been extremely encouraging and supportive of new and fresh talent,” he said.

The conversation turned to Sandese Aate Hai, one of the most iconic patriotic songs ever written for Hindi cinema, and audiences' response to the recreated version Ghar Kab Aaoge. While Muntashir spoke about adding his own words to it, he was unequivocal about its real authorship and ownership.