Malik clarified that while he is not involved in the new version of the song, the creative foundation remains his. “I believe the song has been recreated. I am not a part of it, but I am quite sure they will give my name because I created this song,” he said. Malik added that public memory and cultural impact make the contribution of the original creators impossible to overlook. “Without Sandese Aate Hain, Border 2 cannot be made. The contribution of Javed Akhtar and myself is immense, and it has to be mentioned somewhere,” he said.

The original Sandese Aate Hain, featured in J.P. Dutta’s 1997 war drama Border, was composed by Anu Malik, written by lyricist Javed Akhtar, and sung by Roop Kumar Rathod and Sonu Nigam. The song went on to become a defining musical moment in Indian cinema, resonating deeply with audiences and armed forces personnel alike.

For Border 2, the song has been recreated under the new title Ghar Kab Aaoge. The new version is composed by Mithoon, with lyrics by Manoj Muntashir, and vocals by Arijit Singh, Sonu Nigam, Vishal Mishra and Diljit Dosanjh. The teaser of the song has already been released, with the full track scheduled to drop on January 2, ahead of the film’s theatrical release on January 23.

Reflecting on the creation of the original track, Malik recalled that the melody came to him spontaneously while he was in a recording studio. He played it for Javed Akhtar, who later shared it with director J.P. Dutta. The tune was instantly approved. Malik has previously said the entire composition was finalised in about seven minutes, despite initial discussions of a longer creative timeline.

The song earned widespread acclaim, with Javed Akhtar winning the Filmfare Award in 1997, the Screen Award in 1998, and the National Film Award for Best Lyrics.

Border 2, starring Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, Varun Dhawan and Ahan Shetty, is positioned as a major Republic Day release. As anticipation builds, Malik’s remarks have brought renewed attention to the legacy of Sandese Aate Hain and the ongoing debate around crediting original creators in recreated works.