Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; August 23, 2019)

Vivek Anand Oberoi is all set to back a movie that salutes the valour of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The movie will be based on the Balakot airstrike, the capture and the subsequent release of Indian Air Force’s Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman — an aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack that took place in February this year. The movie will be shot in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Agra, and will go on floors later this year.

Vivek has received the required permission to make the film. Plans are afoot to make it a trilingual — in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu — with established actors from these industries playing pivotal roles, including that of Abhinandan and Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal, who guided the IAF’s interception mission to stop Pakistan’s fighter jets. While Abhinandan has been awarded the Vir Chakra, Minty has become the first woman to receive the Yudh Seva Medal.

Talking about the project, Vivek told us, “As a proud Indian, a patriot and a member of the film fraternity, it’s my duty to highlight what our armed forces are truly capable of. This film is a powerful tool to underline the achievements of brave officers like Abhinandan, who went behind enemy lines and did what makes every Indian proud of them. The Balakot airstrike was one of the most well-planned attacks by the IAF. I followed everything in the news, right from the attack in Pulwama to the airstrike. There was a lot that was speculated and spoken about back then; this film will put all of that to rest, once and for all. I thank the IAF for trusting us with this story and we hope to do justice to it.”