Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 16, 2017)

Set to play the role of a Kashmiri spy who marries a Pakistani officer in Meghna Gulzar’s next, Alia Bhatt will soon start prep for her part. The actress has been paired opposite Vicky Kaushal in the upcoming drama set against the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

A source says, “The workshops will help them understand the milieu of the story and give context to the characters.” A unit hand informs that a series of sessions to help them understand the Kashmiri dialect are also scheduled: “Vicky will have to look bulkier. Alia, on the other hand, needs to become stronger. They have many stunts in the film and will start combat training from next week.”

Gulzar’s film is an adaptation of Harinder Sikka’s bestseller, Calling Sehmat.