'Major' not a chest thumping, jingoistic film: Telugu star Adivi Sesh

Telugu actor Adivi Sesh, who essays the role of late Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan in the biopic 'Major', says the film is an honest story of valour without being jingoistic.

Major Unnikrishnan, 31, lost his life while battling terrorists at the Taj Palace hotel in the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai in 2008. He was conferred the Ashok Chakra, the country's highest peacetime gallantry award on 26 January, 2009.

Helmed by 'Goodachari' fame director Sashi Kiran, the Telugu-Hindi film chronicles Unnikrishan's life.

"I am very proud that the film doesn’t toe the line of jingoism; it is not a chest-thumping film. Even the tone of the film is different from drum beating or chest-thumping kind of idea (of patriotism). It's honest, sincere and passionate rather than being loud,” Sesh told PTI in a zoom interview.

The 34-year-old actor, best known for his roles in films such as 'Karma', 'Panjaa', 'Ladies & Gentlemen', 'Baahubali: The Beginning', 'Kshanam' and 'Evaru', said about 35 to 40 per cent of the shoot is still left.

Sesh, who has also written the script, remembers being intrigued by Major Unnikrishnan's photograph in 2008 as his pictures flashed on Indian new channels as one of the martyrs in the terrorist attack.

He said his admiration and obsession to know more about this young Army officer only grew with time.

In 2018, the actor said he finally gained the confidence to narrate Major Unnikrishnan's life story in cinema.

“As an Indian kid, who grew up in America, I was so concerned with what it means to love one’s country. Wanting to tell this story had so much to do with how a soldier actually thinks and what makes them give that ultimate sacrifice. I was trying to go deeper, not just what you feel for the country but how and why?” he said.

The actor said he worked on the story and the screenplay for a while before calling Major Unnikrishnan's parents, retired ISRO officer K Unnikrishnan and Dhanalakshmi Unnikrishnan.

When Sesh introduced himself as a Telugu actor wanting to present the story, K Unnikrishnan was initially cynical as many producers had called them in the past with similar promises.

"I can never be him. I can only try to find his spirit in myself. I took my team and we met his parents. During our fourth-fifth trip, the uncle said, ''I believe you can make a film on my son’s life''. I was happy I got their blessings,” he said, adding, that talking to the parents taught him about the philosophy with which Major Unnikrishnan was raised – of doing the right thing with sincerity.

Sesh said he learnt Major Unnikrishnan was not a typical Army officer and was insanely funny.

“He loved English action films, he was very cosmopolitan. He would often sit with jawans and have food with them. He was a lover of animals, he saved a lot of them. He taught me to be more empathetic,” the actor said.

Talking about some of the major highlights of the bilingual project, Sesh said it is not a typical 26/11 film.

"He was a decorated training officer in the National Security Guard before 26/11, he was a Kargil war veteran. There is so much more to his life than just the final chapter," the actor said.

The challenge for the actor was to encapsulate the martyr's life in two-and-half hours without compromising with the spirit of the movie.

The shooting of the film will continue till January and February next year and the team will chalk out a plan for its release accordingly.

The actor has recently finalized his second Hindi film however he is completely tight-lipped about it. He said he also has “Goodachari” sequel in the pipeline.

“There are three films ready for me to enter the set. But all my energies are focused on ‘Major’. It is a dream project for me,” he concludes.

Produced by Sony Pictures Films India in association with Mahesh Babu's GMB Entertainment and A+S Movies, "Major" is scheduled for a 2021 release.