EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Shershaah Director Vishnu Varadhan On Sidharth Malhotra, Karan Johar & Shooting In Kargil

Q. Shershaah is going to release in a few days. But now the journey continues on OTT and not theatres. How are you feeling about it as a director?

A. I am very happy that Shershaah is now coming on Amazon Prime Video because, sometime back it was looking like I do not know when the film is going to release. We all have put so much hard work and time into it. Although, to be honest, we had so much fun making this film that I didn't even realise when that much time passed. We are still living the film. I was immersed in this film. I was very excited about it because I had never made a film on the Indian Army before. I had never done a biopic either. That's why there was so much excitement and it still is because now Shershaah is about to come before the audience.

Q. You have shot the film in Kargil, about the Kargil War. How was the experience and what kind of challenges did the team face as obviously Kargil would not be an easy place to shoot a film?

A. (Laughs) Everyone had lost their breath. Everybody died, literally. Well, I would say that Kargil was like a blessing in disguise for us. We originally were not supposed to be shooting in Kargil. We had selected some locations near Kashmir and Ladakh, but the Indian Army said that we will not be able to support you because some tense situation was going on in Kashmir. And without the support of the Indian Army, we could not have made Shershaah. Then they suggested we go to Kargil and shoot there. It was like a boon to us. What more do you need, what can you get better than this? We just had to find some locations there.

In Kargil, we got the support of General YK Joshi, the then Corps Commander of Leh-Ladakh, who was the commanding officer of Captain Vikram Batra during the 1999 war. However, the hardest part was shooting at that height, in that altitude. It was difficult for all the actors and technicians. We were shooting somewhere between 12,000-14,000 feet. But the battle they fought at an altitude of 16,000 feet was unbelievable. We have tried to be honest in our work of showcasing it.

Let me tell you, no film has ever been shot in Kargil. So, there is no such set for shooting there, not even a hotel for the entire crew to stay. I would like to say that the production house (Dharma Productions) did a lot, making sure that we did not face any problem while shooting the film there.

Q. Apart from Kargil, has the film been shot at some more real locations?

A. Yes. Vikram Batra was from Palampur (Himachal Pradesh). So we have shot some scenes in Palampur, on the streets there, in the university. We shot at Panjab University, Chandigarh, where Vikram Batra studied. And then we shot in Kargil as well. But where Vikram Batra fought the war - Point 5140 - we couldn't shoot there because that was not accessible. It was really very dangerous. So, we found some similar looking locations for shooting.

Q. Shershaah is your first Hindi film as a director. When and how did you associate with this film?

A. Sometimes, the most beautiful opportunities come your way just like that...and it happens only once in your life. Shershaah is that opportunity for me. Actually, the writer of the film, Sandeep Srivastava was doing research on Shershaah. And at that time Sandeep and I were writing a script for a Tamil film. We generally used to share information about Captain Vikram Batra. The more things I heard about him, the more fascinated I was. Sandeep wanted a director's perspective, so we generally discussed, shared our views on the script. The journey started from there. Meanwhile, my Tamil film did not work out. One day I met Shabbir Boxwala, who has the rights of Shershaah. He introduced me to Karan Johar at Dharma Productions. And from there everything changed. I never knew that I would do this film. But I knew that whoever does this film, it will be a memorable film in their life. And I am glad that it has become a part of my life now!

Q. How was it to be associated with Dharma Productions? Karan Johar himself is also a director, so what was his participation like in Shershaah?

A. Karan is a brilliant director and he is also one of the most fabulous producers I have met. I really have a lot to say. For example, he knows what you are saying exactly, what the film requires, because he is a director himself. And I must say that he is a creative producer. He knows how to have a vision for the film. War films have a slightly higher budget than other films, and he spent whatever was required for the film. Only a creative producer can understand these things. The second thing that I liked about him is that he completely believes in you. The whole motto of Dharma Productions is that what the film needs and what the film director needs to make the film, it should be fulfilled. And the best thing about Karan Johar is that he trusts his directors a lot. The director just has to make the film. I definitely enjoyed working with him.

Q. How was it to direct Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani?

A. Sidharth and Kiara are my best cast. For me, Vikram Batra is Sidharth Malhotra and Dimple Cheema is Kiara Advani. In fact, no one can be better than these two to play these characters. I am very happy. Let me tell you, if you find the right cast for your film, then 50 percent of your work ends there. The other 50 percent is making it and getting it performed. What I really liked the most is that Sidharth looks completely different in his character from his real life look. He has really given his all to play the character of Captain Vikram Batra. And Kiara is also a wonderful actress; she has done a wonderful job.

Q. Vikram Batra's story is a known one and also very close to people's hearts. So, while directing content like this, as a director, where do you draw the line between creative liberty and original information?

A. All these things were taken care of during the scripting stage. We had kept in mind how real a story we need to tell and where creative liberty can be taken, or how dramatic you are going to make the film...all those decisions were taken first. I would like to say that I have tried my best to stay close to what actually happened. Yes, I've taken creative liberty, but you won't find anything too loud. All I had to do during the shoot was to stick to the decisions I had made. At that time, I didn't want to change anything.

Q. War films or patriotic films mostly come with a risk of controversies. Is the team anxious about it?

A. When you work with complete honesty and sincerity, and stay true to your film, you don't need to fear. So, I'm not worried either. Also, if there is going to be controversy, if people would like to find an issue in it, it's their own intentions and motivation or whatsoever. We have got clearance from everyone, from Vikram Batra's family and the Indian Army, who have seen the film. We all are very happy about it because we have tried to do our best as a technical team, as a producer and as makers. How honestly a story can be told is just what we have tried to show in Shershaah.

Q. How has Vikram Batra's family reacted after seeing Shershaah?

A. They were very happy to see the trailer of Shershaah. I didn't get a chance to talk to the parents much, but I did talk to Vishal Batra. He is the only person who has seen the film. He was very excited. We are waiting to show the film to the family and the Indian Army. We have got the approval from the Defence Ministry.

Q. Were you constantly in touch with the Batra family during the making of Shershaah?

A. Yes, we were definitely in touch with the family. And along with them we were also in touch with the officials. Whatever research we did for a few months, we gathered all the information before shooting. Sometimes when we had some doubts, we had the liberty to call the authorities at any given time. We have got a lot of support from the Indian Army, as two officers were constantly with us during the shooting, who helped us understand the technicalities.

Q. As now the film is releasing on OTT, do you see this as an opportunity for a worldwide reach?

A. Absolutely, there's no doubt about it. In one day your content reaches every household. Anyone can watch your movie. The main idea behind making a film is that it has to reach people. And Amazon Prime Video is going to do that for us. Yes, it is a theatrical film, it has been shot with that scale, but the story will have the same impact on OTT as well. The impact of the story is not going to change. The experience may be different but the effect will probably be the same. I am expecting it.

Q. Lastly, what should we expect to see in Shershaah - more of Vikram Batra's personal life story or the Kargil War?

A. The audience will see Captain Vikram Batra as a person, because he was a simple man who has become a legend. What his achievements are, what kind of a person he was and what he accomplished during the war, is what you will see in the film.