Vishal Batra, with his wife Dr Apara Sharma and daughter Aadya at Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani’s wedding reception

Captain Vikram Batra sacrificed his life on the battlefield during the Kargil War in 1999 at the age of 24. His death left his love story with the love of his life, Dimple Cheema, incomplete. In a strange twist of fate, the actors who essayed their parts on the screen in Shershaah (Captain Vikram Batra’s biopic) — Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani — tied the knot recently. Captain Vikram Batra’s twin brother Vishal Batra, along with his wife, Dr Apara Sharma and daughter Aadya, graced the reception in Mumbai.

During the making of Shershaah, Sidharth and Vishal became friends, and the latter says that he experienced a gamut of emotions when he attended Sidharth and Kiara’s wedding celebrations. “I met Sidharth in December 2015 when the idea of the movie came up. We have been in touch regularly despite the fact that the movie released two years ago, and he is a good friend now. It was lovely of him to invite us. For me, it was also a feeling that I couldn’t see Vikram’s wedding… It took me through various emotions, and being an identical twin, it’s something that can’t be explained in words. We got a message from Kiara, too, saying they are looking forward to us attending the wedding,” says Vishal.

Ask Vishal whether he was aware of the wedding plans, and he says, “I never spoke to Sidharth about it. Shabbir bhai (Shabbir Boxwala, co-producer of Shershaah) did tell me they were planning to get married. I think they got closer because of the movie, and I am very happy they got married. The real Vikram and Dimple could not get married, but the reel Vikram and Dimple have, and that is a lovely feeling. Our blessings are with them. They are a lovely couple. They are two wonderful individuals, and I have never interacted with them as stars. Recently, Sidharth even called me and asked me to attend the trailer launch of Mission Majnu in Delhi. He said, ‘I want you here with me’. It’s a brotherly feeling; otherwise, why do I need to be there for the launch.”

On her wedding day, Kiara walked to the mandap to the tune of the track Ranjha from Shershaah, which was specially rewritten for the special moment. Getting emotional, several people on social media commented and said that this, in a way, is the happy conclusion that Captain Vikram Batra and Dimple Cheema’s love story deserved.

“I have been reading some things,” says Vishal, adding, “This is a way for people to shower their love. They saw an image of Vikram in Sidharth. People draw a lot of courage from Vikram’s acts. They got to know his story – his bravery and his love story – through the film. Vikram left us so early, but this couple got close because of Vikram and Dimple’s life, it’s only right that people shower love on them.”

Though the film released two years ago, people often approach Vishal to share memories of his brother. Talking about Captain Vikram Batra, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously, Vishal says, “If you remember, the film begins with a brother narrating his brother’s life. I had done a Ted Talk, after which people would approach me to speak about him. Now, after the film, it’s a lot more. I have always believed the real person who deserved it all was Vikram Batra. It is a lot of emotional burden on me… to live that life for the last 25 years. I always wish he was here to see what he has done for the country. At the end of the day, we are all narrators. I wish he were here to speak about his experiences.”

He further adds, “Sidharth did absolute justice to the role, and so did Kiara. Yes, Vikram’s physical absence continues to haunt me a lot, but look how he has created a name for himself, and he continues to live. Next year, he will complete 25 years of his sacrifice and people still remember him. I always have these mixed emotions where I feel sad and miss my brother, but also feel extremely proud of him.”

When she walked into Shershaah, Kiara Advani knew she had a good film in hand. Now, as the Sidharth Malhotra-starrer is receiving unanimous love from audience and critics, she is pleased as well as grateful. “Even at a script level, we knew this film had the potential to move people. But the response has surpassed our expectations,” she begins. The team’s biggest win is that the biopic on Captain Vikram Batra has been highly appreciated by the Batra family.

Asked if she has heard from Dimple Cheema yet, Advani — who plays Batra’s love interest in the Amazon Prime Video offering — says, “I messaged her after the film. This is an emotional movie for her. I want to respect her privacy right now. When I met Captain Batra’s family after the film, they said I was exactly like [Dimple]. That moved me to tears. I know the songs have deeply touched her. She must be proud that the story is resonating with people.”

The film’s post-credits reveal that after the Kargil War hero’s demise, Cheema decided to not marry. The actor says she bought into their love story instantly, rare as it was. “I believe in that kind of eternal love. I have seen examples of that in my parents, and now, in Dimple’s love story. It is aspirational for a generation like ours, which is more fast-paced.”

That brings us to her love life — she is rumoured to be dating co-star Malhotra. Zealous fans rooting for them have given them the moniker #Sidiara. Partly coy, partly cautious, Advani says, “We are happy that our on-screen chemistry is appreciated. But I feel it’s our honest intention of playing Vikram and Dimple authentically that is [being praised].”

For the actor, the film’s success has reaffirmed her belief in her choice of projects. “Since Kabir Singh [2019], every day has been an effort to top the character of Priti. People couldn’t get her out of their minds. After almost [two] years, Dimple has done that; it feels like a win. I have always been instinctive with my choice of characters, and will continue choosing with abandon.”

The glowing reviews of Shershaah are perhaps the perfect culmination of Sidharth Malhotra’s five-year journey with the film. The actor, after all, has been attached to the project ever since producer Shabbir Boxwala, in 2016, acquired the rights to bring the late Captain Vikram Batra’s story on screen. Given the rousing nature of the story, it is not surprising when the producer reveals that several actors, including Salman Khan, had expressed interest in the biopic.

Boxwala, whose friendship with Khan goes back a long way, recounts, “Salman approached me at a stage when I was in talks with Junglee Pictures. He wanted Shershaah to be Aayush’s [Sharma] debut film, and wanted to partner with me on it.”

However, Boxwala’s hands were tied at the time. By then, the producer had suggested Malhotra’s name to the Batra family for the role of the Param Vir Chakra awardee — an idea that was unanimously seconded by them. He had also arranged a meeting between the actor and the Batras. “It would have been highly unethical to drop him for another actor. When Captain Batra’s family gave me the rights, it was a big moment for me. They showed immense trust in me, and I didn’t want to go wrong at any step. I explained [my predicament] to Salman, who was understanding. Aayush was sweet and sportingly said that playing a double role in his debut movie might be [a tall order].”

Making Shershaah has been a long journey, with studios and directors changing hands, but Boxwala insists it has brought him immense satisfaction. “From Junglee Pictures, the film went to Dharma Productions [in 2019]. It didn’t take Karan [Johar] more than five minutes to say yes to the project. Director Dennis Lee came from Los Angeles to helm the film, but things didn’t work out. Vishnu Varadhan [director] was suggested by my writer Sandeep Shrivastava.”

Sidharth Malhotra shares a rather personal connection with his “labour of love”, Shershaah. Ask the actor about it and he says that the film hits home for more reasons than one. “My grandfather got injured at the Indo-China war and took an early retirement. My father is an Army brat and he has seen my grandfather serve. He’s just happy that one of his son has become a pretend Army soldier and is playing this amazing character,” he says.

While feedback from the audience and the critics matter, what he is looking forward to the most is a positive nod from his and Captain Vikram Batra’s family: “My father knows what sacrifices one has to make to serve their country. I hope Captain Batra’s family thinks that I’ve done justice to his story,” he reveals.

Industry insiders believe that Shershaah is going to be a game-changer for him. “I don’t think one film can make or break me as an actor,” asserts the 36-year-old, elaborating, “My trajectory has taught me that my highs are short-lived and so are the lows. I believe in putting my best foot forward. But with Shershaah, I’ve given slightly more of my life to it.”

He says it’s the responsibility of makers to stick to facts in films based on real life. “We’ve taken some cinematic liberties but 90% of it is authentic. We were also very cautious about not diving into any political aspect,” he ends.

When he came on board Shershaah, Sidharth Malhotra knew his first obligation was towards the late Captain Vikram Batra and his family. With the Amazon Prime Video offering slated to premiere tomorrow, the actor says, “The family’s is the only review I am nervous about. I owe it to them to do my best and give them a version that does justice to their son’s story.” He adds that Batra’s brother Vishal had seen the earlier cut of the biopic. “He got emotional and said ‘I had already seen my brother off duty. But in my mind, I couldn’t [conjure] a visual of him fighting for the country. Now, when I think of [him on duty], I see your visuals from the film in my mind.’”

Helmed by Vishnu Vardhan, the film celebrates the valour of the Param Vir Chakra awardee, who, at 24, was martyred during the 1999 Kargil War. Malhotra says the team was mindful of not falling into the tropes of a larger-than-life Bollywood movie. “It was a conscious effort to play the character authentically. It would lose its appeal if I portrayed him like a typical hero. The attempt was to make it a part-documentary, part-Hindi film. The idea was to make it close to reality, and yet keep his heroism intact. Even the filmy dialogues used in the trailer are the actual lines that Vikram Batra had said.” 

Of late, war dramas in Hindi cinema tend to have a jingoistic approach. But the actor insists they have actively steered away from adopting the tone in the Kiara Advani-starrer. “Sandeep Shrivastava [writer], Vishnu Vardhan, Dharma Productions and I have consciously made an effort that the scenes do not digress from his life story. You cannot sugar-coat war. There [was] a battle; we fought with our neighbouring country, and whatever interactions they had with the enemy are documented. Our attempt is to [evoke] a sense of patriotism or inspiration through Batra’s life and his comrades. It has got less to do with the enemy or the politics, and more to do with what went on in the [soldiers’] heads and hearts.”

The journey of bringing the incredible story of Captain Vikram Batra, PVC — the real-life hero who was martyred in the 1999 Kargil war — to the screen has indeed been an emotional one for the Batra family. Ahead of the world premiere of Shershaah on Amazon Prime Video, the film’s cast gathered with the Indian Army, friends and family of Captain Vikram Batra for a special screening in the capital city. Held in honour of the martyred war hero, the screening was attended by Vishal Batra, twin brother of the real-life Shershaah, Captain Vikram Batra and his parents Girdhari Lal Batra and Kamal Kanta Batra, alongside General MM Naravane - Chief of Army Staff, Lt General CP Mohanty - Vice Chief Of Army Staff, Lt General Sanjeev Kumar Sharma - Deputy Chief of Army Staff and actor Sidharth Malhotra’s friends and family.

Bolstered by the presence of the members of the Indian Army and the Batra family, the screening was a special and intimate affair that not only honoured the legacy of Captain Vikram Batra, but also served as an ode to the dedication and commitment of our armed forces. With the reel and real-life Shershaah’s family and close friends in attendance, the screening was an emotional homage to the braveheart who played a pivotal part in India’s victory at the Kargil War. Apart from the lead actors Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani, director Vishnu Varadhan, producer Shabbir Boxwalla of Kaash Entertainment and writer Sandeep Shrivastava were seen in attendance. The film also features Shiv Panditt, Raj Arjun, Pranay Pachauri, Himanshu Ashok Malhotra, Nikitin Dheer, Anil Charanjeett, Sahil Vaid, Shataf Figar and Pawan Chopra in pivotal roles.

Jointly produced by Dharma Productions and Kaash Entertainment, Shershaah is all set to premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on August 12.

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The journey of bringing Captain Vikram Batra’s incredible story to the screen has been an emotional one for the Batra family. A day before the world premiere of Shershaah on Amazon Prime Video, the cast of the film gathered with the Indian Army along with friends and family of Capt Batra for a special screening in the Capital.

Held in honour of the martyred war hero, the screening was attended by Vishal Batra, twin brother of the real-life Shershaah and his parents, Girdhari Lal Batra and Kamal Kanta Batra, alongside General MM Naravane, Chief of Army Staff, Lt General CP Mohanty, Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Sanjiv Sharma, Deputy Chief of Army Staff and actor Sidharth Malhotra’s friends and family.

The screening was a special and intimate affair that not only honoured the legacy of Capt Batra, who played a pivotal part in India’s victory at the Kargil War, but also served as an ode to the dedication and commitment of our Armed Forces.

Apart from lead actors Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani, director Vishnu Varadhan, producer Shabbir Boxwala of Kaash Entertainment and writer Sandeep Shrivastava were seen in attendance.

Directed by Vishnu Varadhan, the film also features Shiv Panditt, Raj Arjun, Pranay Pachauri, Himanshu Ashok Malhotra, Nikitin Dheer, Anil Charanjeett, Sahil Vaid, Shataf Figar and Pawan Chopra in pivotal roles. Jointly produced by Dharma Productions and Kaash Entertainment, the film is all set to premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on August 12.

Captain Vikram Batra’s biopic, Shershaah, would seem incomplete if one did not speak about the woman he was in love with and had promised to marry. Dimple Cheema and he were in a committed relationship when he was martyred during the Kargil War in 1999. Their larger-than-life love story blossomed in Chandigarh in the late ’90s. However, Dimple chose to remain unmarried after Captain Vikram Batra was martyred on the battlefield.

Kiara Advani is essaying the role of Dimple Cheema in the Vishnu Varadhan directorial that premieres on Amazon Prime Video on August 12; it is jointly produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Kaash Entertainment. The actress met Dimple at a hotel in Chandigarh back in 2019 when she was in the city for another professional commitment.

That conversation, Kiara insists, was the most important part of her preparation to play the role. “Towards the end of the narration I cried. I went home and I wanted to pour it all out to my parents and my brother. We were kids when the war had happened. I had very little understanding of it. News from the battlefront would play out on television and would be in the newspapers. I couldn’t understand what was going on. And now, I was going to become a part of a film that’s an ode to a braveheart, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, and to all the other war heroes of Kargil. I feel grateful for the freedom we have, thanks to these officers who protect our borders at all times. This film made me understand the emotional turmoil of a martyr’s family; they, too, make so many sacrifices,” she says.

Kiara adds, “Meeting Dimple Cheema was the most important emotional aspect of making this film. We had not even started shooting when we met and it was the best part of the prep. She gave me an insight into her mind and her heart which then helped me emote better on screen. It was Vishal Batra, Captain Vikram Batra’s twin brother, who helped us meet each other. I wanted to understand her closely and emulate her as close to reality as I could. We incorporated Punjabi dialogues because she is from Punjab. It was an overwhelming and emotional experience for me to play Dimple. I was eager to know what the family had to say and what Dimple felt on seeing the trailer. Vishal told me that everyone at home was very emotional. Dimple is happy and emotional in equal measures. I know when she sees the film, it will evoke all sorts of emotions in her. She was gracious to share her love story because it’s a crucial part of Captain Vikram Batra’s life.”

Dimple has seldom spoken on public platforms about what she and Captain Vikram Batra shared when they were together. She opened the coffers of her heart to allow Kiara to understand what her relationship with the war hero was like. “Dimple has been very shy and reserved about speaking about this. Her love for him made her share the story when we were prepping for the film. It was a heart-to-heart between two women. She shared her memories, and from the way she spoke, it seemed like it all happened just yesterday. It was fresh in her mind. The pride she had for her man and also for what he did for the nation, how he was with her, and how she feels he’s still with her — makes for a beautiful and unique love story. It’s so rare that you choose to remain in love long after your loved one has passed. It’s difficult to imagine how it must have been for her to make such a decision; he fought on the battlefield and she fought and stood up against her family, stood by his dream and stood by her decision not to marry anyone, ever,” says an emotional Kiara, adding, “While talking to her, I observed that she is someone who lives with love, pride and happiness in her heart. She is a really strong woman who chose a very different path of happiness, and one of hope that they will meet soon. She is beautiful, strong, independent and happy. It’s rare to find someone like her.”

Talking about collaborating with Sidharth Malhotra for the first time for the film, Kiara says, “I truly believe it is Captain Vikram Batra and Dimple’s story that makes our chemistry work on screen. You automatically connect with the written material. We did our readings thoroughly every night. We shot on real locations and were addressed by our screen names. After a point, it got so real that even after ‘cut’, we were reeling-in the moment we filmed. We’re working together for the first time on an incredibly special movie. Sidharth is an honest and hardworking actor. I’ve been lucky to find co-actors who are easy to connect with. As for Sidharth, it’s one of his finest performances that you’ll see in this movie.”

Captain Vikram Batra was all of 24 when he laid down his life in the Kargil War in 1999. The stories of his bravery and the catchphrase ‘Yeh Dil Maange More’ used by him as code to relay the capture of Point 5140 on the Tololing Ridge have inspired soldiers and awed the citizens of our country over the last two decades. He called Palampur in Himachal Pradesh his home, where he lived with his parents, twin Vishal Batra and sisters. During his college days, he fell in love with Dimple Cheema, who chose to stay unmarried after Captain Vikram Batra’s death on the battlefield. The Batra family felt Sidharth Malhotra resembled their son, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously, and hoped that he would essay the part in the biopic on Captain Vikram Batra’s life.

The actor took the plunge wholeheartedly and focused on the film right from its inception. The movie Shershaah, which is jointly produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Kaash Entertainment, will premiere globally on Amazon Prime Video on August 12. Calling the film his “first passion project”, Sidharth talks about why this is more than another commercial venture for him, the challenges he faced to see the project get made with the same passion that he had and how doing justice to the expectations of the martyr’s family is a huge responsibility. Excerpts:

Yes, it’s a huge responsibility and it’s a great matter of pride to play a national hero. Captain Vikram Batra laid down his life for all of us, and for that matter, that holds true for all martyrs. This is a film for them, and we owe it to them to remind the people of India of the kind of sacrifices the Armed Forces make so that we can live in a democracy. That’s the pressure and responsibility that comes with this kind of a role and one has to accept it.

It’s such an incredible life story of a real-life hero that it’s close to impossible to accommodate everything in two hours. He was predominantly a very lovable Punjabi guy, who eventually became a great leader. We concentrated on how Captain Vikram Batra became Shershaah. He gave the last many years of his life to the country, so we have focussed on that. My approach as an actor was to focus on the specific qualities he displayed. For instance, we have a particular scene from his college days which brings out an aspect of his personality, then we go on the battlefield, where we show his leadership qualities and ability to inspire, laugh at danger and move ahead with confidence. The film shows jhalaks and moments from his life. We hope that through the film, people understand the various aspects of his personality.

When Vishal Batra (Captain Vikram Batra’s twin brother) met me with (producer) Shabbir Boxwala, it was a completely different team with a much bigger script. I told them that we need to work more on this, and get a better version of it. We spent almost two years in that process, and I kind of took over this film, saying I want to make it in a certain way. Then we got Sandeep Srivastava as a writer, Vishnu Varadhan to direct the film and Kiara Advani to play Dimple Cheema (Captain Vikram Batra’s fiancée) on board. Since I was involved with the film from a very early stage, I am far more attached to this film. Shershaah is my first passion project. I approached Dharma Productions to back it, so there was no need for me to produce it. But if that hadn’t worked out, I would have definitely been involved as a producer because I wanted to retain the authenticity of the project. I didn’t look at the film from a commercial point of view. Firstly, because of the amount of time that I have spent on it, and also because when I met the Batra family, I just felt a connect with them immediately.

When I met them, it was an emotionally-charged moment for everyone. I felt this could be my family. I come from a similar cultural background, and it could very well be my uncles and aunts there. My grandfather was a part of the Armed Forces and fought in the Indo-China War, I could have very well joined the Indian Army if I wasn’t an actor. My daadu got injured on the battlefield and took early retirement. My family has seen the kind of sacrifice that the Armed Forces have to make. You know, two years after I was approached for the project, I had a conversation with Vishal Batra when I expressed that the film needs to be in better hands. He was gracious enough to give me that responsibility and trust me with it. That’s why I am so emotionally attached to the film and I feel I owe it to the family to ensure that their brave son’s life story is portrayed authentically. It was always on my mind that for their family this is not just a film, it’s the life story of their brave son and brother, and I am extremely anxious to know what the family says and thinks when they see the complete film.

I must tell you that most of the dialogues spoken in the film are close to what Captain Vikram Batra said. That’s because of some great research by Sandeep Srivastava, our writer. When you see interviews of his comrades and juniors, they would often say, ‘Yaar, jab Batra saab lead karte hai hume bahut confidence milta hai. Woh aage se lead karenge aur humein batayenge ke kya karna hai.’ He had that love from all his subordinates. They trusted him with their life. They knew that he would put his life on the line for them. That was the quality that earned him the name Shershaah. It’s one thing to give directions, but he really walked the talk. You might think that some dialogues are very filmi, but he was also a very filmi person in real life. He was very influenced by Hindi films at that time, and he showed it, whether it was in his love story or dealing with his comrades.

Their love story makes you believe in love. They committed to each other in college, and unfortunately, he passed away and she chose not to marry and live with the love that she felt for him. In today’s day and age, it makes you believe in true love. It’s a unique story of that first love, which is innocent and pure. I feel it adds to the appeal of the film because most of what you see is true.

Back then, I lived in Delhi and we would often watch the news about the Kargil War on TV. I remember seeing these jhalaks of the famous interview of Captain Vikram Batra on TV, which is an iconic interview. It’s a surreal feeling that 15 years later, I am living and playing the person who I saw on the television screen of my house so many years ago. It’s been a long journey. I learnt that it was nowhere close to what I saw on television. There was so much more to be told.

We are all going through tough times because of the pandemic. This is the new norm. I look at it from the point of view that this film is so special to me that I want the maximum number of people to see it at one point. Today, that’s only possible through Amazon Prime Video, where people can watch the film from the comfort and safety of their home, and not just in India, but around the world. Something that probably wouldn’t have been possible with a theatrical release. The digital release will give us a massive reach, and that’s what every actor and creative person wants.

I hope the film inspires the youth. Captain Vikram Batra was only 24 when he sacrificed his life for the country. With this film, what comes into focus for the younger generation is to find that one thing that can inspire and drive you in your 20s; it could be anything. The question you need to ask yourself is, do you feel passionately about anything in your life at 24? If you do, then give it your all and it will manifest itself.