'Gorkha', 'Pippa', 'Sam Bahadur', 'Ekkis'... are some of the upcoming movies based on the lives of war heroes

Mona

STORIES of courage and valour have never failed to impress on the big screen. So, if the latest film Sardar Udham could give the audience some hair raising moments, expect a few others to impress as well. Having received the Param Vir Chakra posthumously, the story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal will be brought alive in Ekkis, a film that stars Varun Dhawan; Major General Ian Cardozo’s story will be made into a film titled Gorkha with Akshay Kumar in the lead role, while Vicky Kaushal will be seen as Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw in the film Sam Bahadur… It seems tales of bravery and valour are the flavour of the season.

Patriotism in vogue

Award-winning producer Rahul Mittra says, “With many movies being made on war heroes, patriotic films are surely in vogue and these are prospective crowd-pullers. Real-life heroes have always had an enduring appeal, as their sacrifice and subsequent triumph are high on the emotional quotient and strikes an immediate chord with the viewers.”

On the other hand, Rahul believes some fall prey to over-glorification and jingoism. “And while audiences are game for inspiring tales of triumph of the human spirit, filmmakers should do full justice to the character in focus and should remember what Oscar Wilde said – Every Saint has a past and every sinner has a future,” he adds. Lately, real stories of war have ruled the audiences’ heart, including Uri, Tanhaji, Shershaah, Bhuj, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Kesari and The Ghazi Attack.

Win-win situation

Adds director Jagmeet Samundri, “Like it or not, one hit and everyone is exploring the genre; that is what the treand is and has been. Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior opened the floodgates for war movies and here we are. Whether you make a biopic or a story inspired from real life, how you put together is the most important thing.”

Well-known scriptwriter Sanjay Chauhan, who launched the trend of biopics with acclaimed film Paan Singh Tomar, points out three major reasons why heroes are being showcased in Bollywood. “The first is the readymade inspiring story. If it’s cleared by the Army, they provide full support, right from soldiers to weapons and more. Thirdly, and most significantly, he points out that the chances of someone raising an objection are reduced to minimal. If anyone raises a question on a war hero, no one is going to hear the plea. So making a decorated war hero’s story is a win-win situation for makers.”

Films in the pipeline

Gorkha

Starring Akshay Kumar, Gorkha is based on the life of Major General Ian Cardozo. An AVSM, SM, he was first war-disabled Indian Army officer to command a battalion and a brigade.

Pippa

Starring Ishaan Khattar, Pippa is based on the life of the war hero Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta The film, named after the Russian war tank PT-76, popularly known as Pippa, is about the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

Sam Bahadur

A biopic starring Vicky Kaushal as Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, the Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971, is being helmed by Meghna Gulzar.

Ekkis

Starring Varun Dhawan, this film is based on the life of Param Vir Chakra recipient Arun Khetarpal, who was martyred during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War. The film is being directed by Sriram Raghavan.

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