Casting for a film inspired by real-life events is tricky as one has to be authentic to the story. Director Sankalp Reddy was aware of the challenges as he began work on IB 71, a spy thriller that is centred on the Indian Intelligence Bureau’s secret mission that gave the Indian Army the required edge during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. He says that luckily, actor-producer Vidyut Jammwal was the perfect fit for the role given his Indian Army background.

“Vidyut brought the script to me and said, ‘I want to do this.’ When I read it, I immediately knew that Vidyut, who comes from an army background, was the right fit for the role. Only he could do justice to a part that is steeped in patriotism. He embodies the grit and determination of the character,” says Reddy, who previously helmed Ghazi (2017).

The upcoming release also stars Anupam Kher and Vishal Jethwa. Reddy notes that the ensemble cast needed to bring emotional depth to their parts. “Anupam ji brings so much gravitas to his performances. Vishal has an arresting screen presence that we were blown away by.”