Donning the uniform of an army officer comes with a great sense of responsibility. This is exactly what actor Sidharth Malhotra realised while playing the character of Indian Army officer Vikram Bhatra in ‘Shershaah’. Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his valour in the 1999 Kargil War.
Reliving what a war hero undergoes in the thick of a war, repeating his last words, and shooting in situ with real ammunitions were memorable moments from ‘Shershaah’, says Siddharth. The actor spoke to Showtime, ahead of the film’s release on Amazon Prime Video on August 12. Excerpts:
What was it like to step into the shoes of an army officer?
I come from an army background. My grandfather was in the army and he fought the Indo-China battle. My father was in the merchant navy. So, when I first heard the story from Vikram Batra’s brother Vishal Batra and his parents, I felt it would be such an honour to play the character of a real hero who was popular both among his family and comrades. Vikram Batra’s iconic lines — ‘Yeh Dil Maange More’ and ‘I’ll either come back after raising the Indian flag in victory or return wrapped in it’ — moved me to no end.
What impressed you the most about Vikram Batra?
This is the first time that I am playing a real-life character. Vikram, who was fondly addressed as ‘Shershaah’ by his comrades, was a man of courage and confidence. His efforts paved the way for India’s victory in the Kargil war. I was more than thrilled to portray the sacrifice he made for the country. I had to undergo real-time training in terms of learning Army etiquette, handling weapons, and imbibing the discipline.
We heard you shot at real locations and the terrains were challenging...
Yes. We shot in the toughest of locations, almost 12,000 to 14,000 ft above ground level. There was so much dust in the air and we had to negotiate mountainous stretches and walk through terrains that had small sharp rocks. Cars could not reach the location so we had to trek it up. You will notice in the film that there’s a huskiness in my voice because of the weather conditions. That added a lot of authenticity to the shot. We also handled live ammunition and real explosives and held the real INSAS rifles used by the Indian Army. The training that we received from our Indian Army personnel was an unforgettable experience. I must also add that holding a toy gun was a childhood obsession for me. For every birthday, I would want only guns as a gift.
You made a conscious effort to shake off the image of a ‘cute college boy’ after ‘Student of the Year’...
Yes, I did. It was intentional to take up contrasting roles. It is unfortunate that people equate the success of a film with its rating at the box office. Some of the cult films were not the biggest box office spinner, but they live on even today. I was fortunate to work with a host of talented directors.
What kind of scripts interest you?
More than the script, I look at whether I am able to empathise with the character. I see if I can relate to his journey, whether positive or negative.
But as things stand today, I am drawn towards films inspired by true events like ‘Shershaah’ and ‘Mission Majnu’, my next film. These are far more interesting films to work on and I believe people will connect with them strongly.