There may be some specific patterns that war films anywhere usually follow but Major Ravi’s 1971: Beyond Borders  rehashes his own earlier films with some minor additions here and there. 

The story begins with Mammootty narrating in his baritone about how wars are often not based on ideologies but on personal greed and egos of those in power. But it is not clear what the relevance of the statement is, considering that the storyline barely explains it all. 

Colonel Mahadevan (Mohanlal) whom we have seen in the earlier episodes like Keerthi Chakra, Kurukshetra and Kandahar is fighting for the UN troops in Georgia, where he saves the life of a Pakistani Colonel named Ajmal.

Now begins the scenes of camaraderie between Indian and Pakistani soldiers. It is made clear with lines like “humanity supersedes everything”. The point is that the soldiers on either side are there ready to die for their motherland and the personal rivalries has to end in the battlefield.

It is revealed during the Battle Honours Day that Mahadevan’s father, Major Sahadevan (Mohanlal again) fought a battle against Ajmal’s father, Mohammed Akram Raja (Arunoday Singh), in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. 

Now Brigadier Sahadevan narrates the story that happened some decades back.

He, as a Major then, was leading the Indian attack for the Grenadiers division at the war zone. There are some brave soldiers who gets special attention, like Chinmay (Allu Sirish). We wouldn’t discuss more, though there are not many surprises in store, considering the repetitive tone, excessive drama and the rather ordinary writing.

Though it is not clear about the historical accuracy of the events, there are some efforts to include certain prejudices in between. 

Here is one such example. A Muslim is welcomed to a temple by Sahadevan, before he and his friends start drinking in the premises. Just as you are impressed by his secular outlook, Sahadevan chides a Hindu man who opposes this and says this, “It has not been long before people like you were allowed entry into the temple.

Though he is pretty out of shape to play a hard working soldier, Mohanlal looks genuine and convincing with his dedication and charm. Asha Sarath, who plays his wife, has a limited role to play. Arunoday Singh and Allu Sirish are likeable.

1971: Beyond Borders has been made in the same template as his earlier war films, but there is a definite effort from Major Ravi to show a humane angle here. Though the script is a letdown, Mohanlal’s performance comes as a saving grace.