As the country gears up to celebrate Republic Day on January 26, actor Vivaan Shah is reflecting on what he calls the most defining role of his career: playing an Army officer, Captain Vijendra Malhotra, in the recent release Ikkis.

The actor shares, “Wearing an Army uniform is a turning point for any actor; it leaves you overwhelmed and emotional. I always wanted to play someone from the forces. What I didn’t know is how it’s going to impact me forever,” the 36-year-old tells us.

Speaking about the response to his role, he says, “I play a diligent Army man, and when people say I pulled it off convincingly, it fills me with pride. Such roles are difficult because you have to authentically convey what an officer looks like. You only win when people remember the role, not the actor.”

Portraying a real-life hero came with the weight of responsibility. “I became friends with both his daughters, and they gave me so much warmth. At a screening, one of them tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘You are playing my father.’ It was surreal,” he says.

He further recalls meeting war veterans who had served under Captain Malhotra: “They came up and said they really appreciated my performance. Isse badi baat kya ho sakti hai?”

That sense of authenticity came from preparation that began at home. “The first person I called was my uncle, retired Colonel Zameeruddin Shah (brother of Vivaan’s father, actor Naseeruddin Shah), who fought in the 1971 war at Longewala. He laid the foundation of my research,” Vivaan ends.