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Border was all about destiny, says J.P. Dutta! Tue June 27th, 2017

Twenty years have passed since J.P. Dutta's iconic war movie "Border" was released. It remains the work filmmaker J.P. Dutta is most closely identified with, although it isn't the best movie he has made.

JP, always unwilling to speak about himself and his films, agrees. "'Border' just connected with audiences. It was destiny, I guess. There were some other films that I was equally proud of like my first release 'Ghulami', then 'Hathyar' and 'Batwara'. I am also very proud of my other war film 'LOC Kargil'."

"LOC Kargil" with a cast as vast as occupants of Lokhandwala Complex, did not do well.

J.P. Dutta has not directed a movie since the Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai starrer "Umrao Jaan" in 2006. He is now back with another war movie titled "Paltan".

"It was a lean patch. But I am no stranger to struggles. Right at the beginning of my career as a director my first film 'Sarhad' was shelved after extensive shooting. I thought it was the end of the world. But I was able to start another film 'Ghulami'," tells JP.

At the moment the greatest joy of his life is to see his elder daughter Nidhi look after his production house.

"It was Nidhi's idea to celebrate 20 years of 'Border'. Otherwise do you think I would have ever done this on my own?" asks JP, known to fight shy of the limelight throughout his career.

At the latest function to commemorate 20 years of "Border", J.P. Dutta truly missed his father writer O.P. Dutta.

"My daughter Nidhi did a wonderful thing that evening. She quietly handed over the trophy for my father to me. As one day, the trophy meant for me would be handed to her," he told.

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