Bollywood actor Ishaan Khatter talks about his new war film ‘Pippa’ and why fighting criticism is not difficult

While Bollywood war films tend to be chauvinistic and shallow, actor Ishaan Khatter’s new film Pippa, currently available on Prime Video, defies that creative curse.

Based on the novel ‘The Burning Chaffees’ written by Brigadier General Balram Singh Mehta, this searing war drama is set against the backdrop of the 48-hour Battle of Garibpur during the India-Pakistan War, and follows three characters who come together by chance. This is the story of two brothers. 1971 war.

Katter plays the eccentric and brave Balram Singh Mehta, while his brothers are played by Mrunal Thakur and Priyanshu Panuri.

Dressed in military uniform and shoes by author Balram Singh Mehta, Cutter initially appears as a quirky and cocky ‘Bali’, but becomes more down-to-earth when he is entrusted with leading the amphibious tank Pippa to victory. It becomes like this. This is the coming-of-age story of a brave soldier who drives Pippa and his squad to the finish line alive.

Excerpts from an interview with the 28-year-old Cutter. She talked about appearing in war films early in her career and the criticism she received for being too young for the role.

You are the first to ask this very pertinent question. My answer is yes, and I miss it. Shooting that tank was a once in a lifetime experience. The first time we started this training was in his 2021 and it was just insane. Who would do something like this… It’s an amphibious tank made decades ago and every shot puts me in the tank. That’s nostalgic.

Yes, I agree too. That’s definitely one of the reasons I was drawn to this work. I felt that there was some newness in the content of the plot and the content of the story itself. Additionally, this film will delve into remarkable chapters of our history that we have yet to tell or bring to film. It is also perhaps one of the few wars ever fought for a just or noble cause. We (India) joined the war to support the freedom struggle of another country (Bangladesh) and liberate them. The day after we achieved that goal, we literally walked out of their land. It was unprecedented and has not been repeated since. So I wanted to be a part of that incredible story. This is a chapter in our history and needs to be included as part of our conversation.

All the players I saw and trained with in Cantonment were younger than me. Indeed, I’m probably one of the youngest male actors currently starring in a movie. I am keenly aware that I look young and will rely on those good genes in the future. I look younger than my age, but I knew we were trying to make a real film… I was in the trenches with Raja Lord (directed by Raja Krishna Menon) from the beginning and I They fought every battle to ensure their success. Create something unique. I don’t think any actor has ever been given a role like this at such a young age, so I thought there would be some talk about that. I think there were parts where I looked very young, but we were telling the story of a young man. Early in the film, you notice that Bali is focused on proving himself. He was selfish and, for lack of a better word, stupid.

He had the arrogance of a young man. These are all characteristics of young people. When he starts to feel the responsibility on his shoulders and realizes that he could lose people, he could die, you see my character develop…and remember, we… I wanted to make a film that wasn’t too on-the-nose… Over the past few days, I’ve been flooded with messages and calls from military personnel and families of Fauji (military) people who say they really relate to this film. We were accurate and to the point when it came to military terminology and the language of the young people in the film.

It was a very subversive approach to such a scene. Normally in a Bollywood movie, you would imagine the traditional approach where your first instinct would be to show a hug…but remember that these two brothers broke up on a note saying bad things about each other before going to war? please. It was bad juju. So when they come together, it’s recognition and a certain amount of closure. Words are exchanged and a new warmth is born. There’s something cathartic about that scene. Because there is a sense of closeness and closeness between them… Another scene that stands out is where my character shares a cigarette with her sister (Thakur) and has a deep conversation… on the nose. It was a very interesting approach to that scene and definitely one of my favorite scenes of hers.

When you say that, it makes it sound as if you haven’t put any effort or preparation into it. And that’s the furthest thing from the case. If you know anything about armored regiments or tank crews, you’ll notice that their bodies are so flexible that they can jump into a tank and jump out. As such, agility is preferred over the large, stocky physique seen in U.S. naval officers. My physical regimen to prepare for this role consists primarily of aerobic exercise, which is not my personal preference. In terms of physical preparation, we had two workshops with the Army that put us through the wringer. We covered all physical routines, including marching, strength training, and endurance. We also got some hints when Lord Balram was in his 26th year. Armored officers usually wear their hair a little longer than traditional military personnel, making them more classy and classy. nice. I was happy that they paid attention to the details…

I can’t run away from being me. My only goal is not to do something mundane, but I’ve actually been lucky enough to have some good opportunities. I was lucky that Raja sir came to me about this film and wanted to cast me instead of an actor who was 10 or 15 years older and had a longer career. Moreover, I am happy that this movie received so much love and affection…The love for this movie was unanimous. Love is both happiness and validation… There are so many people who put sweat, blood, tears, momentum and energy into making this movie.