Captain Vikram Batra - The real 'Shershaah' gave his life in The Kargil War so that his countrymen could live peacefully. Very soon, we will see glimpses of his life and journey through SidharthMalhotra who will be seen playing him on the silver screen.
The trailer of the film has received a mixed response. Many feel there are lot similarities between Sidharth and Captain Vikram.
To begin with, on having similaritieswith Captain Batra, Siddharth said,
"It was a conscious effort to look like himright from his college days to being soldier; all this was distinctly plannedand created by keeping the real life references of Captain Batra. Vishnu Batrahas been a great support in getting all the help we need.
There was a lot of prep to get into hispersonality, mannerism, his relationship with family, how he led in to theKargil war. ?We took every bit of him fromthe people who even met him once and knew him for a lifetime. The attempt is togive you an essence of his personality, to show how he became this iconic soldierand we have given our 100 percent for this.¡±
When asked Sidharth if making a biopic on real life heroes catch more attention and whether it comeswith a guarantee that the film will definitely be a hit, he differed and said,
"I feel there is more pressure when you have to play someone who is a real life hero. Because you are dealing with the army, a battle field during Kargil which the country faced, they have reference of him. It will take just one instance to like it or neglect it, if the fact is not checked.?So there has been a lot of conviction, authentication, a? narrative - you need to build somethingwithin a target. I don¡¯t agree with it that it was an easier process.
Also, if it would be that easy, the film would havebeen made much before. It took 5 years to be made. The family approached me and Iknew I wanted to do the story and I wanted to do it right. You just cannot pick a story from history and say ye picture to hit hi hone waali hai. I think when you pick anybody from history, it adds more pressure and you have to be more careful in dealing with it. You have to be authentic even with your cinematic liberty.It has to be a good mix of all that you can show it to people.¡±
Sidharth who has faced a lot of failures, whenasked that how he deals with flops and manages to move on, he said,
¡°Bollywood has a perspective that only box officematters and I think it is a very short-sighted impression. When youlook back at some iconic films with megastars in the country, those are not boxoffice hits. To give you one example, Amitabh Bachcan¡¯s Ageenpath- it¡¯s acult film today. And it¡¯s not me who¡¯s defending but stating facts. I feel I will be more happier if I will be remembered for rolesor films that I have done and not the mirage that this industry or media hascreated that business and box office is everything."
Adding further he said,?
"I don¡¯t look at Shershaah as a business or profit point of view, it will be unfair toCaptain Batra¡¯s life. I feel so indebted to his family that they let me play him. I feel I will be cheating them if I only talk about the profit and loss of the film, it¡¯s not that, it was someone who was flesh and blood. Weare enjoying freedom because he gave his life.¡±
When asked if the constant pressure of beingin the radar makes the survival difficult, he replied,
"I don¡¯t know it¡¯s difficult or worst.? I have seen both spectrums of it. I have seenfilms that have worked beyond expectations and which haven¡¯t. It¡¯s a constantbattle. And it¡¯s not like the audiences have a very long memory. Oneis just trying to keep beating their previous work.
?I think it¡¯s more about consistency than living on your hits and flops I have learnt that in 9 years. When I camefrom New Delhi, I didn¡¯t know anything. I only knew how the film is made becauseI was an assistant director, but I didn¡¯t know what happens behind the camera, and nobodywas there to teach me how this functions. I learnt it on the job and I am stilllearning.?
if? you ask any actor what gives them real happiness, most likely they will tell you that if somebody comes up and tells you sir aapka woh scene, wohdialogue kitna achcha tha, that¡¯s what matter. Also, I am here for the long run, Iam not here to live that small happiness, I have not come from New Delhi toMumbai, to give those sparks of happiness. I want the whole fireworks and I havemany many years to do that.¡±
Indeed, the actor is here to stay.?